4 days ago
Quincy residents and ACLU sue to block Catholic statues at new city building
St. Michael is the patron saint of police and St. Florian is the patron saint of firefighters. The two public safety agencies will share the facility, now under construction on Sea Street.
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Koch's office did not immediately return a telephone call and email seeking comment on Friday. In
The 16 residents are described in the lawsuit as people who 'practice a variety of faiths, including Catholicism, Judaism, and Unitarianism, as well as Quincy residents who are Humanist, atheist, spiritual, or do not identify with a single faith or religious organization.'
They object to using public funds — an estimated $850,000 — for the statues and also contend that
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'Affixing statues of prominent Catholic figures on the front of a government building conveys the message to Quincy residents, including Plaintiffs, that the City not only favors religion over non-religion, but Catholicism over all other denominations,' the lawsuit reads.
Residents and the ACLU want a Superior Court judge to issue temporary and permanent injunctions barring Koch from spending any more money on the statues.
Joining the ACLU and the residents are
John R. Ellement can be reached at
