A prominent Washington, D.C. church filed suit against the city and its mayor Tuesday, seeking to overturn a ban on mass gatherings that prohibits congregations from meeting not only indoors but also outdoors during the pandemic.
The lawsuit by Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC) against Mayor Muriel Bowser says the city’s current ban on in-person church gatherings of more than 100 people violates the church’s rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution’s First and Fifth Amendments, including its rights to assemble and worship without government interference. Prior to the pandemic, the church had around 1,000 attendees on a Sunday. Its pastor, Mark Dever, has authored several books.
According to the Washington Post, the suit, filed in federal court, requests an injunction against the city. Significantly, the suit says the church should be able to meet in D.C. “if conducted with appropriate social distancing practices.”
Under current D.C. rules, the church won’t be able to meet in the city until a vaccine is developed, according to the suit.
The mayor and the city “have specifically and explicitly targeted in-person religious gatherings,” the suit says. Because of that, the restrictions are “not neutral on their face.”
Capitol Hill has been meeting at locations outside the city.
“The Mayor’s orders prohibit gatherings of over 100 people for…
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