Protest held outside Soledad correctional facility over health and safety concerns

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION) The number of coronavirus cases at the correctional training facility in Soledad has gone up 17 new cases in the last 14 days.

According to a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation report, there are now 19 active cases among inmates at this location.

A group of protesters held a demonstration in front of the facility Saturday, expressing their concerns for the health and safety of the inmates.

A few protesters said they were frustrated with what they say was an act of racial injustice that may have led to the spike in cases within the facility.

The CDCR said some inmates in a Security Threat Group (STG), or gang, were taken out of their housing areas last week during an investigation.

We spoke with the wife of an inmate who says she believes this was a targeted act against black inmates and she thinks the facility should be held responsible for the rise in cases in the facility.

"They were pulled out of their cells with whatever they fell asleep in, half naked, they were not allowed to grab their masks, they were assaulted, they were not socially distanced, two weeks later we got our first cases of COVID," Tessa Williams said.

When we reached out to cdcr a few weeks ago, they said they do not believe the STG investigation led to the rise in cases and that they are working in enhancing health and safety protocols within the facility.

So far, reports show 2 employees tested positive for the virus as of August 14. One of them has since returned to work.

We made multiple attempts to speak with ctf officials but no one was made available to comment.

The demonstrators here said they are organizing another protest at CTF next Saturday.