Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, Friday, June 19, 2015, in Washington. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo By NICK NIEDZWIADEK 10/02/2020 03:24 PM EDT The Department of Justice is wading into the legal fight of a Washington, D.C., church seeking to nix local public health restrictions in order to hold services outdoors. The department on Friday filed a “statement of interest” in support of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, arguing that the city is violating both the Constitution and federal law by preventing churches from holding gatherings of more than 100 people. “The right to free exercise of religion and the right to protest are both enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution,” Eric Dreiband, assistant attorney general for DOJ’s civil rights division, said in a release. “We are a nation dedicated to freedom of conscience and freedom of expression. The District of Columbia has, unfortunately, neglected these rights.” The lawsuit, filed Sept. 22, argues that religious organizations are being treated unfairly while political protests — such as those in support of racial justice and against police misconduct — and other activity protected by the First Amendment are not being held to the same limitation. “To be put simply, […]
