Jacob Brown
Inmates in New York filed a federal lawsuit against the state corrections department for imposing a lockdown during the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday.
Constitutional Rights and Religious Freedom:
The lawsuit argues that the lockdown violates inmates’ constitutional rights, particularly their freedom to practice their religious beliefs, by preventing them from participating in a significant celestial event.
Six incarcerated individuals, including a Baptist, a Muslim, a Seventh-Day Adventist, two practitioners of Santeria, and an atheist, are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. They are housed at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Woodbourne.
Significance of Solar Eclipse in Various Faiths:
The complaint highlights the religious significance of solar eclipses, citing references in Bible passages and sacred Islamic works, and asserts that the event warrants gathering, celebration, worship, and prayer.
One atheist plaintiff had received permission to view the eclipse with provided glasses. Still, subsequent requests by four other plaintiffs were denied, citing the eclipse’s exclusion as a holy day for their religions.
Corrections Department’s Response:
The corrections department refrains from commenting on pending litigation but states that requests for religious accommodations, including those related to viewing the eclipse, are under review.
A memo from the department’s acting commissioner announces that all state correctional facilities will operate on a holiday schedule during the eclipse, restricting movement except for emergencies from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Safety Measures and Distribution of Glasses:
The department plans to distribute solar eclipse safety glasses to staff and inmates in facilities within the eclipse’s path of totality to facilitate safe viewing from assigned locations or housing units.
Communities in western and northern New York, including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Lake Placid, and Plattsburgh, are expected to have prime viewing opportunities for the total eclipse around 3:15 p.m., albeit lasting only a few minutes.
