Following the Supreme Court’s ruling that Boston violated free speech rights when it refused to fly a Christian’s groups flag back in 2017, the Satanic Temple is requesting permission to allow them fly their own flag at the Boston City Hall.
Boston refused to let Camp Constitution, a New Hampshire-based Christian organization, hoist its flag in front of the third flag pole at City Hall Plaza as part of a ceremony in 2017, court documents stated.
The commissioner of Boston’s Property Management Department said that flying a religious flag at City Hall could violate the city’s Establishment Clause — which prohibits a government from establishing an official religion.
Camp Constitution sued the city, claiming that Boston’s refusal to let them raise their flag violated the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause.
And so in Monday’s ruling, the supreme court rescinded on their earlier decision, and said Boston could not discriminate on the basis of the religious group’s viewpoint without violating the Constitution.
“We conclude that, on balance, Boston did not make the raising and flying of private groups’ flags a form of government speech,” the supreme court said. “That means, in turn, that Boston’s refusal to let Shurtleff and Camp Constitution raise their flag based on its religious viewpoint ‘abridg[ed]’ their ‘freedom of speech.'”
Now, the Satanic Temple wants to raise its own flag — although they aren’t sure which one.
“The Satanic Temple replies to the Supreme Court ruling that found Boston violated First Amendment rights by refusing to fly Christian flag at City Hall Plaza,” the Satanic Temple tweeted Tuesday, accompanied by a screenshot of a request to raise a flag to celebrate “Satanic Appreciation Week” from July 23-29.
The tweet:
Satanic Temple requests flag raising at Boston City Hall after Supreme Court rules city violated free speech rights in refusing to fly Christian flaghttps://t.co/zdZ5ZmYyrL
— The Satanic Temple (@satanic_temple_) May 3, 2022
“Religious Liberty is a bedrock principle in a democracy, and Religious Liberty is dependent upon government viewpoint neutrality,” Lucien Greaves, cofounder of The Satanic Temple said in a statement.
His tweet:
The Supreme Court ruled that Boston violated First Amendment rights by refusing to fly Christian flag at City Hall Plaza. Here is The Satanic Temple's reply: pic.twitter.com/rHtZddpHqC
— Lucien Greaves (@LucienGreaves) May 3, 2022
“When public officials are allowed to preference certain religious viewpoints over others, we do not have Religious Liberty, we have theocracy,” Greaves added.
