A two-sided sign declaring ownership of a block of Main Street by the Mormon church stands next to the plaza, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2003, in Salt Lake City. At rear, a couple poses for their wedding photo in front of the church's temple. The American Civil Li
SALT LAKE CITY - The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal suit Thursday challenging a deal that gave the Mormon church the right to regulate behavior on a downtown pedestrian block.
The lawsuit names Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and the city, and asks the court to return control of the Main Street block to the city, which last week signed it over to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The ACLU accused the city of favoring one religious group over another when it completed a land swap giving up control of the landscaped plaza in exchange for land on which to build a community center.
"When government shows a preference for one religion it sends a chilling message to non-adherents that they are outsiders, and not full members of the community," Mark Lopez, an ACLU national staff attorney, said in a statement....