Dem Mayor Backs Down, Eases Worship Restrictions Following Lawsuit from Religious Leader
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has eased restrictions on houses of worship following a lawsuit accusing the Democratic mayor of imposing “arbitrary” and “discriminatory” restrictions on churches.
In a lawsuit filed Dec. 11, the Archbishop of Washington said Bowser’s restrictions “bear no relation to either the size of the building or the safety of the activity” and “single out religious worship as a disfavored activity, even though it has been proven safer than many other activities the District favors.”
Represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the archbishop requested an injunction allowing “sufficient time before Christmas Eve to allow the Archdiocese to plan and celebrate Mass with percentage-based limits rather than a 50-person cap.”
Bowser modified the city’s attendance limits in a Wednesday order, removing the 50-person limit for religious gatherings and instead capping attendance at 25 percent capacity with a maximum of 250 people.
The order still discourages large gatherings.
Bowser’s office has not responded to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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A version of this article appeared on the Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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