INMATES protested against alleged racist and Islamophobic abuse by a senior prison officer at a Worcestershire prison on Saturday.

Prisoners at HMP Long Lartin in South Littleton chanted “no justice, no peace” after claiming that a senior prison officer has repeatedly targeted black prisoners who are practising Muslims.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed an investigation is underway after protesters said that there have been at least three attacks on black Muslims at the facility in the last nine months.

Victims insist that the same prison officer was involved every time.

In one incident in June, prisoner Nathan Lewis was allegedly punched in the face by the officer after he followed Mr Lewis from the shower with colleagues. Another officer was reportedly heard afterwards saying: “We need to get our story straight.”

Protesters claimed that prisoners who dare to speak up about the racist violence are being punished and censored, with letters between those inside the prison and their supporters outside going missing, or the authorities openly refusing to deliver them for “security” reasons.

Inmates including Miran Thakrar, who was allegedly punished by the prison for taking the knee in solidarity with Black Lives Matter after Mr Lewis was attacked, have submitted official complaints about the racism they have witnessed and experienced.

Mr Thakrar said: "What is happening here is something of an unacceptable normality of prison life.

“I have been subject to this and know personally what it feels like to be on the receiving end, so I cannot simply stand by.

“The prison officers need to be exposed — they feel their identity is protected by the system and their actions will be contained by their friends and colleagues within the prison walls.”

A Prison Service spokesperson told the Morning Star that all claims of this nature are investigated, adding: “We have zero tolerance for discrimination in our prisons and will not hesitate to take action where necessary.”

Campaign group Cape, which fights prison expansion in Britain, warns that over 15 per cent of the prison population in England and Wales is Muslim, even though Muslims make up only 5 per cent of the total population.

In close supervision centres — prisons within prisons where solitary confinement is common — half of prisoners are Muslim, the group says.