Jails to make room for potential influx of prisoners in lead-up to weekend protests

Prison bosses will make room for a possible influx of arrested demonstrators this weekend amid concerns that some jails are close to full, the head of the national governors' body has revealed.

- Rajeev Syal Ben Quinn

Police have threatened to make hundreds of arrests if a planned protest in London this weekend over the proscription of Palestine Action goes ahead. There are also at least eight planned demonstrations outside hotels housing asylum seekers.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed it had initiated "capacity gold command" as it attempts to manage the use of prison cells, with jails across England and Wales 97.5% full.

Capacity gold command is initiated when the number of prisoners across the estate reaches critical levels. It allows an appointed gold commander to monitor every out-of-use cell, direct moves into and out of prisons and maximise the use of open prisons and home detention curfews.

Government sources said the justice department had re-examined the possibility of launching Operation Early Dawn, which would allow defendants to be held in police cells until prison beds become available and could mean their court dates are delayed or adjourned at short notice.

Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors' Association, said he was concerned about the impact on prisons of possible public order events after the riots in 2024 that followed the Southport murders.

He said: "Any spike in the numbers of people remanded in custody will have an impact on prisons. HMPPS HQ is again operating capacity gold command arrangements to direct governors to move prisoners to ensure capacity is available. Governors in reception prisons will be directed to move prisoners over the weekend in order to create space.