COVID-19 Protesters Drive Around Westville Prison

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WESTVILLE, Ind. — Dozens of vehicles circled the Westville Correctional Facility on Tuesday to protest the treatment of inmates during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Northwest Indiana Times said the vehicles circling the prison were honking their horns and had signs taped to them, and shouting and clapping could be heard from inside the prison.

Inmates are avoiding telling the guards when they develop coronavirus symptoms because they’re scared they’ll be placed with those who have already tested positive.

The Westville facility has more coronavirus cases than other Indiana prisons, and the Indiana Department of Correction said as of Tuesday 143 inmates and 36 correctional officers tested positive.

Misty Weikel, one of the people driving around the the prison, had a man speaking from her cellphone, who was apparently inside the prison. He told the Times that they didn’t have proper cleaning supplies, and are only being given cold sack lunches.

DOC spokesman Dave Bursten said there was more than 70 vehicles there, but he disagreed with the claim of improper handling of inmates.

He said about 50 of the prison’s 3,100 inmates are given the privilege of electronic tablets, and all hourly and other restrictions have been lifted to allow them to have access to their loved ones.

The IDOC has also made 50,000 masks and given one to each inmate.