Arizona pro-Palestinian protesters sue, argue authorities violated their religious freedom

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nn(RNS) — A group of Arizona religious leaders and activists is taking the state to court, arguing authorities violated protesters’ religious rights in arresting them during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in November.In a motion filed last week, four defendants argued that Arizona’s Free Exercise of Religion Act, a state law that resembles the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, protects their right to demonstrate. They are seeking dismissal of trespassing charges against them.
“Defendants’ protest was a sincere exercise of religious expression which is burdened by this prosecution,” the motion reads. “FERA protects the free exercise of religion in Arizona not only against purposeful discrimination, but as here, against the government using a law to prosecute that is of general applicability that substantially burdens any individual’s religious exercise.”
The case centers on a demonstration that took place outside the Tucson offices of RTX, formerly known as Raytheon Technologies, a major U.S. defense contractor. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October, pro-Palestinian activists have staged multiple protests outside various offices of RTX, which produces missiles and weaponry used by the Israel Defense Forces. The IDF is currently engaged in a lengthy ground assault into the Gaza Strip that has killed as many as 34,000 people following …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]