Colorado Churches Win Against COVID Orders

Canada Free Press ^ | 10/21/20 | Liberty Counsel

[marshmallow]

This a major win for places of worship, the First Amendment, and the people. This is a big blow to the discriminatory orders issued by Governor Jared Polis. The state of Colorado may not ignore or suspend the First Amendment.

DENVER, CO – A federal district judge issued a 44-page decision granting an injunction in favor of two churches against Governor Jared Polis’ discriminatory COVID orders that place numerical restrictions on houses of worship and require masks. The order in Denver Bible Church v. Azar prevents the state of Colorado from enforcing the indoor occupancy limitations and the face-covering requirement on the churches. Pastors Bob Enyart of Denver Bible Church in Wheat Ridge and Joey Rhoads of Community Baptist Church in Brighton filed the lawsuit in August.

U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Domenico, appointed by President Trump, granted the churches’ temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on the grounds that Governor Polis’ Public Health Order 20-35 violated their rights to the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment. The basis of the opinion is that the governor’s order treats houses of worship differently than secular establishments that pose an equal risk of spreading COVID-19. Specifically, the court found that the numerical limit (175 people) and the mandatory face-covering provisions are not neutrally applied between nonreligious and religious gatherings.