Inmates in New York Prisons File Lawsuit to View Solar Eclipse Despite Lockdown Orders

Inmates in New York are taking legal action against the state corrections department for imposing a lockdown during the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday. The lawsuit, filed by six incarcerated individuals with diverse religious backgrounds at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility, argues that the lockdown infringes on their constitutional rights to practice their faiths.

The plaintiffs, including a Baptist, a Muslim, a Seventh-Day Adventist, two practitioners of Santeria, and an atheist, claim that the solar eclipse holds great religious significance for many belief systems. They cite biblical and Islamic references to similar celestial events and argue that the eclipse warrants gathering, celebration, worship, and prayer.

While one plaintiff, an atheist, initially received permission to view the eclipse with state-provided glasses, the system-wide lockdown now prohibits all inmates from participating in the event. Despite some inmates’ requests for religious accommodations being denied, the corrections department is reviewing requests related to viewing the eclipse.

The acting commissioner of the department announced that all state correctional facilities will operate on a holiday schedule during the eclipse, with restricted movement for inmates and no visitation at facilities in the eclipse’s path of totality. However, safety glasses will be distributed to staff and inmates in these locations to view the eclipse from their assigned areas.

As communities in western and northern New York prepare for the rare celestial event, the total eclipse is expected to be visible around 3:15 p.m., lasting only a few minutes as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. Despite the legal battle, incarcerated individuals are hopeful for a resolution that allows them to observe the eclipse in accordance with their religious beliefs.