Early this afternoon, one of two protesting prisoners climbed down the watchtower, brandishing a metal pole as a makeshift weapon. He proceeded to run along below the tower and has now given himself up, according to prison staff.
Guards earlier were stationed on a roof across from the seized, disused watchtower where the two prisoners were protesting at a maximum security prison north of Auckland.
After the shuffle, the other inmate, a serial escapee known as Aaron "Houdini" Forden, also jumped down the tower, but has now returned.
The first inmate is now being assessed by mental health staff and will be given a meal and a shower. Forden is expected to come down tonight or tomorrow morning. Both prisoners will receive two weeks of solitary confinement thanks to the incident.
The two prisoners had been holed up in the disused watchtower at Paremoremo Prison for the past two nights.
The prisoners scaled the tower on Friday about 10:30am.
After the movement this afternoon, prison guards were on high alert on the roof of an adjacent building. It is believed the pair may have been trying to fetch water before the prisoner gave himself up.
The two have garnered little support, not only from their bosses but fellow prisoners as well, who have also been on lockdown because of the incident.
Requests by the men to bring in prisoners’ advocate Peter Williams were denied by prison officials.
Yesterday afternoon the prisoners used toothpaste on a window to communicate with the media.
“Peaceful protest against Department [of Corrections]” and “contact Peter Williams QC” were written as messages by the pair of inmates.
Mr Williams said he had not campaigned for either of the men but would be happy to mediate should he be allowed by the Department of Corrections.
Corrections’ general manager of Prison Services Jeanette Burns rejected the offer, telling Fairfax Media that the men “will be given the ability to call a lawyer once they come down from the tower. Outside assistance is not required at this point".
Fellow inmates were also unmoved by the protest, shouting comments such as “jump”.
Corrections are currently waiting out "Houdini" and are confident the prisoner will give up.
“They can’t go anywhere. The only option they have is to come down.”
Staff are hoping that hunger and cold will bring the last man back down. The only provisions that the men had were a blanket, one roll of toilet paper and some toothpaste.
The men spent their time fashioning improvised, but deadly, weapons.
Corrections Association president Bevan Hanlon said that staff are not being sent up to get the last inmate, as it could put the officers’ safety at great risk.
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