Community members show support for loved ones who endured pandemic at Lompoc prison

LOMPOC, Calif. — Advocacy groups and family members of inmates expressed their support for incarcerated individuals at Ryon Memorial Park in Lompoc this afternoon.

Back in March of 2020, a coronavirus outbreak infected more than 1,000 inmates at the Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex — causing five COVID-related inmate deaths — and resulting in a federal class-action lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Originally, organizers planned to release dozens of balloons designed to fly in the sky over the prison.

However, Heal the Ocean stepped in and offered to pay for a plane flyover in order to avoid people possibly polluting the ocean with mylar balloons that could travel into waterways.

Due to windy conditions however, the plane was not able to takeoff. 

This was part of an ongoing effort to bring awareness to those inside the complex, which has experienced several outbreaks of COVID-19 since March 2020.

The event was organized to let Lompoc FCC inmates know they have not been forgotten.

The plane flyover has been postponed until two weeks from today on Sunday, March 7.

Since the pandemic began, two separate protests were also organized to bring attention to the prison's coronavirus outbreak.