Quincy Residents Challenge Religious Statues at New Police Building

Residents File Lawsuit Over Religious Statues at New Police Building

Quincy residents have initiated legal action to prevent the installation of two religious statues at the city’s new public safety building. The statues, depicting St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian, are intended to honor the patron saints of police officers and firefighters. However, residents argue that their presence on publicly owned property violates the Massachusetts Constitution’s separation of church and state provisions.

The statues, each standing 10 feet tall, are projected to cost approximately $850,000. They are part of the $175 million public safety building currently under construction, which will house the police department and administrative offices for the fire department and other emergency services. The inclusion of these statues has sparked significant debate within the community.

In response to the controversy, Mayor Thomas Koch’s chief of staff, Chris Walker, stated that the mayor understands the differing opinions but believes the statues transcend religious connotations. Despite this defense, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts has expressed concerns, stating that the display would be unconstitutional and fail to reflect the pluralism of the Quincy community.

The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to halt the installation of the statues while the legal proceedings are ongoing. The outcome of this case could have broader implications for the display of religious symbols on public property in Massachusetts.

Sources

• Quincy residents file lawsuit to halt installation of two religious statues at new police building
• City plan to install patron saint statues sparks debate in Quincy