A fight among several inmates at the Zambrana youth detention center in Valladolid left two security guards injured on Monday evening during dinner, according to internal sources at the center consulted by Ical. The sources, who asked to remain anonymous, said the incident again exposed the tense atmosphere they say is common inside the facility.
The sources said the clash began with an argument between two minors in the dining hall. One of them threw a piece of bread at another resident, who briefly left the room and returned moments later demanding an explanation. A verbal exchange followed, and the two began physically attacking each other.
The situation worsened when security staff stepped in to separate those involved. At that point, according to the sources, other inmates joined the altercation and blocked the guards from doing their jobs. Instead of letting them work, the sources said, the inmates started breaking plates and glasses to use as tools against the security staff.
Beyond the two guards who needed medical attention, several female staff members were also struck while trying to contain the fight. The sources said female educators placed themselves between the young people to keep the violence from escalating further, and were hit with bruises and blows from objects thrown during the confrontation.
The brawl was brought under control once the rest of the center's security and coordination team arrived, gradually isolating those involved before moving them to their rooms.
As a result, on Tuesday morning five of the inmates considered most conflictive were transferred to the center's separation and intake modules, where they will initially remain for a maximum of 48 hours, the sources said.
Not an isolated incident
The sources said this kind of episode happens frequently, and while they acknowledged not all of them reach the severity of Monday's incident, they said threats, attempts to block security staff from entering, and broken furniture are common occurrences.
They attributed much of the tension to high substance use among some inmates, which they said makes both the educational work and daily coexistence at the center more difficult. They also said staff regularly endure insults, threats and verbal aggression without, in their view, sufficient disciplinary consequences for those responsible.
Calls for more institutional support
The sources said the center's management should back the educational team's assessments more strongly and apply measures when inmates repeatedly break the rules or take part in violent episodes.
They also called for greater involvement from the Junta de Castilla y León in overseeing how the center operates, and said inspections carried out so far have not corrected the existing problems.
Among the issues they raised was the center's high occupancy, currently around 70 to 75 inmates, which they consider excessive for the available staff. They also pointed to a large number of residents who are already legal adults and, in their view, should have already moved on to other resources or the prison system, as well as high turnover among both educational and security staff.
The sources said assaults on staff are nothing new, recalling punches, bites and headbutts directed at workers in recent years. They described Monday's incident as a turning point and said they hope it helps draw attention to a problem staff have been raising for some time.
