WOODBOURNE, N.Y. — According to the New York Post, six inmates at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in New York will be allowed to view the upcoming solar eclipse next week, despite a lockdown in place for state inmates. The eclipse, set to occur on Monday, April 8, will bring darkness to parts of the United States for a brief period. Accommodations along the eclipse path are quickly filling up as more people seek to witness this celestial event.

A federal lawsuit has been filed arguing that the planned lockdown violates the inmates’ First Amendment rights. The inmates involved in the suit come from various religious backgrounds, including Muslim, atheist, Baptist, and Seventh-Day Adventist. The lawsuit contends that events like eclipses have religious significance in various faith traditions. For example, the Bible references an eclipse during Jesus’s crucifixion, and Islamic texts mention a similar occurrence during the death of Prophet Muhammad’s son.

Attorney Chris McArdle, representing the inmates, believes that the court’s decision sets a precedent that could allow more prisoners to view the eclipse. In the view of plaintiff Jeremy Zielinski, while the ruling is a victory, it should apply to all inmates, not just a select few. Plaintiff David Haigh suspects that prison authorities may be selectively allowing only small groups to witness the event, excluding many others representing different religions.

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