Museum of the Bible considering lawsuit against DC mayor over COVID-19 restrictions

Museum of the Bible officials are considering a lawsuit against Democratic Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on the grounds that the city's coronavirus restrictions violate their religious freedom, Washington Post reports.

The idea comes less than a week after the mayor issued an order shutting down all indoor dining and museums in the city between December 23 and January 15. The restrictions cover Christmas, a time which is usually busy for the museum.

In a letter sent from the museum to Bowser, they claim that her order violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which protects freedom of religion. While religious freedom traditionally applies to freedom of worship, the museum argues that it offers a religious experience, and is therefore protected under freedom of religion. "Museum of the Bible is an innovative, global, educational institution whose purpose is to invite all people to engage with the transformative power of the Bible," the museum has written in their mission statement.

The museum also cited a November court ruling in favour of a church in the state of New York, which declared it unconstitutional for the state of New York to cap the number of attendees at churches.

In the mean time, the museum has complied with the orders and has shut its doors to visitors.

The museum believes, however, that they would be able to accommodate visitors safely. Spread out across 40,000 square feet and seven floors, the museum is asking the mayor to revert to the 250-person capacity limit which was previously put in place in the city.

"It’s our desire to be treated the same. We don’t want to create a havoc," argued the museum's president, Harry Hargrave. "We want to stand up for our rights as well, and we feel like they’ve been violated."

"A pandemic doesn’t cancel or put a pause on fundamental First Amendment freedoms," argued Jeremy Tedesco, an attorney working with the museum. "They have to apply these orders in a way that’s consistent and protecting fundamental rights."

The case from the museum is not the first time in recent months where Washington DC faced legal challenges from religious groups.

The city was sued in the fall by the Capitol Hill Baptist Church, with a judge granting the institution's request to be able to hold services outdoors with masks and social distancing. The city also recently reached a settlement with the archdiocese of Washington over coronavirus-related restrictions.

According to the museum's lawyer, no cases of coronavirus have been linked to the institution.

The mayor of DC has not yet responded to the potential legal challenge.