Christian flag to be raised at Boston City Hall after Supreme Court case

A Christian flag shall be raised at Boston Metropolis Corridor on Wednesday after the U.S. Supreme Courtroom dominated Boston violated free speech rights when it refused to fly the group’s flag.

Boston refused to let Camp Structure, a New Hampshire-based Christian group, hoist its flag in entrance of the third flag pole at Metropolis Corridor Plaza as a part of a ceremony in 2017, courtroom paperwork said.

The commissioner of Boston’s Property Administration Division stated that flying a spiritual flag at Metropolis Corridor might violate town’s Institution Clause — which prohibits a authorities from establishing an official faith.

However Boston has allowed totally different flags up to now.

Between 2005 and 2017, Boston authorized the elevating of round 50 distinctive flags for 284 such ceremonies, courtroom paperwork stated. Nearly all of the flags have been of different international locations, nonetheless, some have been related to teams or causes, such because the Delight Flag.

Camp Structure sued town, claiming that Boston’s refusal to allow them to elevate their flag violated the First Modification’s Free Speech Clause.

In Might’s ruling, the Supreme Courtroom stated Boston couldn’t discriminate on the premise of the spiritual group’s viewpoint with out violating the Structure.

“We conclude that, on stability, Boston didn’t make the elevating and flying of personal teams’ flags a type of authorities speech,” the supreme courtroom stated. “Meaning, in flip, that Boston’s refusal to let Shurtleff and Camp Structure elevate their flag based mostly on its spiritual viewpoint ‘abridg[ed]’ their ‘freedom of speech.’”

On Wednesday, the flag, which has a crimson Christian cross on it, shall be raised for the primary time at Boston Metropolis Corridor. It will likely be raised at 11 a.m., in keeping with a Fb put up by Liberty Council.

Liberty Council additionally plans to livestream the occasion on Fb.

“Don’t miss this historic occasion livestreamed right here on Liberty Counsel’s Fb web page,” the Fb occasion states.

There may also be visitor audio system and particular music.

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