CHRISTMAS ISLAND, Australia, March 15 (UPI) -- Detainees on Christmas Island rioted for a second straight night, protesting delays in processing visa applications, Australian officials said Tuesday.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said as many as 200 detainees destroyed closed circuit television cameras and lit a fire Monday night, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
The rioting at the detention facility follows last week's breakout of 170 detainees who staged a demonstration at the airport to complain about the amount of time it was taking to process their visa applications.
"What we are seeing at Christmas Island is a group of up to 300 who are determined to engage in protest action," Bowen said.
Bowen called the situation difficult but added it is being managed.
He has already called for an independent inquiry into Sunday night's rioting that forced federal police to use tear gas.
It happened after security officers rounded up and handcuffed 10 detainees thought to be the ringleaders of last week's break out.
