Corrections officers used pepper spray to subdue 35 inmates who refused to return to their cells at the District of Columbia jail, authorities said Monday.
There were no major injuries and the jail was not locked down.
Corrections officials say two inmates began fighting during dinner Sunday evening, delaying the meals until about 9 p.m. Thirty-five inmates complained about the temperature of their food and didn't obey orders to return to their cells.
The section of the jail where the incident took place houses about 150 prisoners and is described by officials as "maximum security."
Spokesman Anthony Diallo said the inmates did not use weapons. The disturbance ended about 3:15 a.m.
Diallo said the inmates involved in the fight and those who refused to comply with orders to return to their cells could face disciplinary action.
District police were called in to support Department of Corrections employees, and when the inmates resisted attempts to negotiate, pepper spray was used to force them back in.
Minor injuries have been reported among the prisoners, related to the use of pepper spray. No Department of Corrections or D.C. police employees were injured in the incident.
Some neighborhood residents have expressed dissatifaction with the Department of Corrections' handling of the incident, arguing that the community should be notified at once of any such disturbance.
A department spokesperson said that departmental policy is to alert the jail's neighbors only in the event of a prisoner escape or another such event that would put them in immediate danger.
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