HM Prison Birmingham was described by one source as the worst prison disturbance in a B category prison in the United Kingdom since the 1990 Strangeways Prison riot. The Birmingham riot caused about £2 million worth of damage.<ref name="bbc21/12/2016">HMP Birmingham riot repairs 'will cost £2m'</ref> This is the third serious incident within under two months, Riots previously happened at Bedford Prison and Lewes Prison and a subsequent riot happened at Swaleside Prison. After the riot inspectors found violence and illegal drug use were still problematic. Some prisoners felt unsafe. Prison wings damaged during the riot were not reopened until April 2017. There was
1990 Strangeways Prison riot of drugs in controlling prisoners. While Unger was inside the prison twelve C&R units attempted to regain control of E wing, in what became known as the "battle for E wing". Prisoners built barricades and threw scaffolding poles at the C&R units, and after approximately thirty minutes the C&R units withdrew without regaining control of the wing. By the end of the third day of the riot prisoners still controlled the upper levels of the prison, but prison officers had regained control of the lower level, and a Home Office statement was issued: During the course of the evening prison