Judge: Boston City Hall Can Refuse to Fly Christian Flag despite Flying Other Religious, Cultural Flags

The city of Boston does not have to raise a Christian flag at City Hall Plaza, a federal judge ruled this week.

According to the Christian Post, the decision comes even after the City Hall Plaza has raised flags for other groups, including an LGBT support flag.

In 2018, Harold Shurtleff sued the city after the city government refused his 2017 request to fly a Christian flag outside City Hall.

Shurtleff heads Camp Constitution, an organization that intends to “enhance understanding of our Judeo-Christian moral heritage.” The organization has previously hosted Constitution Day and Citizenship Day events at City Hall.

Shurtleff had requested that the city fly a Christian flag on Constitution Day on Sept. 17, 2017. The city denied the request under its policy that the city has the discretion to decide which flags may be flown outside City Hall.

Liberty Counsel, the group representing Shurtleff, says the city has never rejected any flag from flying until Shurtleff’s 2017 request.

Court documents show that the city of Boston raised nearly 300 flags between 2005 and 2017 from different organizations.

U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper issued an order, saying the “display of flags outside City Hall is government speech.”

“The [then-head of the property management department Gregory Rooney] had never considered a religious flag prior to the…