Overview

• Six inmates at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in New York are suing the state's Department of Corrections, claiming a lockdown during the solar eclipse violates their religious freedoms.
• The plaintiffs, representing diverse faiths including Christianity, Islam, Santeria, and atheism, argue that viewing the eclipse is critical to their religious practices.
• New York's corrections department has imposed a lockdown to ensure safety during the eclipse, restricting inmates to their housing units.
• Some inmates were initially granted permission to view the eclipse and were to be provided with protective glasses, but this was revoked following the lockdown announcement.
• The lawsuit emphasizes the significance of the eclipse to various religious traditions, highlighting its importance for communal observance and spiritual reflection.