Suit Seeks Permission For Creche In Village Park

Henry Ritell, a Catholic resident of the Village of Briarcliff Manor, New York, has filed suit seeking a temporary injunction to permit him to put up a creche in Law Park. Briarcliff Manor has its own holiday display in Law Park that includes a "Peace on Earth" banner and a 9-foot Menorah. The suit was announced yesterday by the Alliance Defense Fund. The complaint alleges that the village's refusal of Ritell's request violates Ritell's free speech, free exercise of religion and equal protection rights under the U.S. and New York constitutions.