Indians Refuse Meals in Prison Protest

Claiming violation of religious freedom, a number of native American prisoners at the maximum-security prison at Lompoc boycotted the penitentiary cafeteria during the last week rather than remove traditional headbands during meals.

Half a dozen Indian inmates at the prison 60 miles northwest of here are to receive hospital checkups today to see if they are suffering medical problems from hunger as a result of their protest, according to Charles LaRoe, executive assistant to the warden.

LaRoe said about 10 inmates filed formal grievances over the rule--instituted Sept. 23--that bars inmates from wearing headgear in the cafeteria, including hats, headbands and turbans. He said half a dozen of the inmates indicated that they have not eaten during the last week.

Margaret G. Gold, a Kansas City attorney representing an Indian inmate, said her client, Standing Deer, a convicted Oklahoma bank robber, telephoned her Sunday night to say that 20 native American prisoners were refusing meals at the penitentiary rather than remove their headbands and that some were beginning to suffer serious effects from hunger.

LaRoe said the new policy was instituted as a cafeteria sanitary measure and includes a ban on thongs, sweat suits and dirty clothes.

Asked why authorities did not simply bar dirty headgear from the cafeteria, LaRoe replied:

“We don’t have the staff to police that kind of thing.”

Gold maintains that the ban on headbands, which hold religious significance for some native Americans, is a violation of the First Amendment and also breaks federal prison regulations that allow religious headgear “within the context of maintaining security, safety and orderly conditions within the institution. . . .”

Some Indians believe that headbands must be worn during prayers of thanks just before eating, Gold said.

“The government cannot prohibit religious exercise,” she said, “unless there is an overriding reason for so doing.”