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
2013 Palmasola prison riot of the "Chonchocorito" sector of the prison. The gang in cell block A had allegedly been extracting payments from their rivals in cell block B who grew sick of the extortion attempts and started the riot. The suspected ringleaders were convicted murderers and rapists. The archbishop of Santa Cruz, Sergio Gualberti, said the riot highlights "the overcrowding that exists within Palmasola and much of the country" due to "breach of duty" on the part of the judicial system causing long delays before trial. He said inmates are "practically forgotten" by the judicial system with no attempts at rehabilitation and criticized