Satanic Temple requests their flag be flown at Boston City Hall after SCOTUS rules city must allow Christian flag

The Satanic Temple formally requested this week that the city of Boston fly the Satanic Temple flag outside City Hall after a new Supreme Court ruling on Monday that determined the city was in violation of the US Constitution when it denied the request of a Christian group to fly its flag during a city event in 2018.

According to the Satanic Temple, the group is asking the city to fly its flag during Satanic Appreciation Week from July 23 to 29. Responding to the request publicly, city Mayor Michelle Wu said her office is “carefully reviewing the Court’s decision and its recognition of city governments’ authority to operate similar programs.” She added, “As we consider next steps, we will ensure that future City of Boston programs are aligned with this decision.”

The Supreme Court ruled that the raising of a flag amounted to public speech, and that the refusal of the city to fly the flag of Camp Constitution, a Christian group, during a city event was a violation of the First Amendment.

Justice Steven Breyer pointed out in the opinion that the city had previously allowed the flags of other religious groups and therefore was practicing religious discrmination when it refused to fly Camp Constitution’s flag in 2018.

The Satanic Temple Tweeted its formal request for the flag to be displayed in July, writing, “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 group has also made headlines recently for suing an elementary school in Pennsylvania after it refused permission to start an after school Satanic club. The Satanic Temple claims the school has allowed other religious groups to form after school clubs and therefore the school board is discriminating against the Temple.