North Rhine-Westphalia: Large-Scale Operation at Siegburg Prison – Uprising Planned?
Following tip-offs about a planned violent uprising by inmates, police launched a large-scale operation at Siegburg Prison. Here is what is known so far.
The large-scale operation on Tuesday evening was triggered by a statement made by an inmate. Around 100 officers were involved. The situation is under control, the North Rhine-Westphalian Justice Ministry announced. The operation had concluded by around 10 p.m.
"We regularly receive tip-offs from prisoners, we have to carefully weigh up each individual case, and that is exactly what happened in this case."
Lukas Kockmann, spokesperson for the NRW Justice Ministry
The prisoner had named "various specific circumstances" that led to the operation being initiated.
Police and Prison Management Search Siegburg Prison
The individual cell blocks were subsequently searched. During the searches, four mobile phones and small quantities of drugs were found, Kockmann confirmed. There were no injuries, it was further stated.
On Wednesday, several data and drug detection dogs are being deployed at the prison.
NRW Justice Minister Limbach: "Absolute Red Line"
"The threat of armed violence in our prisons is an absolute red line," said NRW Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach (Greens). Should the suspicion prove to be founded, the masterminds would feel the full force of the law. The prison in Siegburg has a capacity of around 600 inmates.
Our sources:
- News agency dpa
- NRW Justice Ministry spokesperson
- WDR interview with Lukas Kockmann, spokesperson for the NRW Justice Ministry
Broadcast: WDR.de, "Inmates apparently planned uprising," 22.07.2026, 09:25
Broadcast: WDR Television, WDR aktuell, 22.07.2026, 12:45
