Kern Valley State Prison under fire for race-based lockdown targeting Black prisoners

by California Prison Focus et al In a shocking revelation, community leaders, advocates and concerned family members have come forward to expose a racially discriminatory lockdown at Kern Valley State Prison’s B Yard. Minister King X Pyeface, alongside representatives from California Prison Focus, K.A.G.E. Universal and other advocacy groups, are demanding accountability and immediate action to end what they describe as an unlawful, race-based collective punishment targeting Black inmates. According to a formal complaint, prison officials have implemented a lockdown exclusively affecting Black prisoners, citing vague and unsupported allegations of “sympathizer” activity. This term, absent from Title 15, Section 3378.2, which governs Security Threat Group (STG) designations, is being used as justification for what advocates describe as targeted reprisal and implicit bias. Key allegations Unlawful use of “sympathizer” labelKVSP staff have allegedly weaponized the term “sympathizer” to impose restrictions on the Black inmate population, while simultaneously lifting similar restrictions for White, Asian and Latino inmates. Advocates assert this selective enforcement is an egregious violation of basic human rights and legal standards. Denial of Basic RightsThe complaint highlights how Black inmates are being denied access to vital resources, including the law library, religious services, education and vocational programs. Family visits have...