Earlier this week, The Satanic Temple filed suit in a Massachusetts federal district court challenging the policy of Boston City Council for selecting individuals to offer the invocations at Council meetings. The complaint (full text) in The Satanic Temple, Inc. v. City of Boston, MA, (D MA, filed 1/24/2021), alleges that any member of City Council can select a prayer giver. However, The Satanic Temple, which was not selected by a Council member, was denied permission to offer a prayer. The complaint, claiming Establishment Clause, Free Exercise, Free Speech and Equal Protection violations, contends in part:
As a result, the City broadcasts two constitutionally impermissible messages: those religions who make the cut are endorsed and are therefore insiders of the politically favored community; those who don’t make the cut are not endorsed and are therefore outsiders from the politically favored community.
AP reports on the lawsuit.
