Trump administration intervenes after Christians fined for attending 'drive-in' church
Department of Justice suggests local officials were targeting religious conduct as coronavirus pandemic lockdowns remain in effect
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The US Department of Justice has weighed in on a case involving a Mississippi church that sued the city of Greenville after local officials fined residents for attending its drive-in religious services on Easter Sunday.
In a Statement of Interest filed on Tuesday, the federal department sided with Mississippi church and suggested the city’s actions were effectively targeting forms of religious conduct during the coronavirus pandemic.
"The facts alleged in the complaint strongly suggest that the city's actions target religious conduct" in violation of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, the lawyers wrote.
The church has said that city police officers handed out $500 citations to those attending services. Greenville has since said it will not seek to collect the penalties, the Justice Department noted.
The Greenville dispute is one of several around the United States in which religious groups have objected to state or local restrictions on gatherings, saying they infringe on religious rights. Most houses of worship have voluntarily complied with shutdown orders, with some holding services online.
US Attorney General William Barr said in a statement the Justice Department will work to uphold the constitutional right to freely practice religion as states and cities seek to contain the spread of the coronavirus by limiting worship services.
"Religion and religious worship continue to be central to the lives of millions of Americans. This is true more so than ever during this difficult time," he said. "The pandemic has changed the ways Americans live their lives. Religious communities have rallied to the critical need to protect the community from the spread of this disease by making services available online and in ways that otherwise comply with social distancing guidelines.
The attorney general added: "The United States Department of Justice will continue to ensure that religious freedom remains protected if any state or local government, in their response to COVID-19, singles out, targets, or discriminates against any house of worship for special restrictions."
The Justice Department intervention follows a pattern in which the administration of President Donald Trump has sided with conservative Christians on various issues, including opposition to abortion rights and support of certain businesses which refuse service to LGBT people because of religious objections to gay marriage.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments