MISSOURI
KAIT
Posted by Brandi Hunter, Video Journalist
SENATH, MO (KAIT) – A person who intentionally disrupts a house of worship in Missouri could face jail time, according to a newly enacted Missouri law.
Senate Bill No. 755, or the House of Worship Protection Act took effect August 28.
According to the act, “a person commits the crime of disturbing a house of worship if such person intentionally and unreasonably disturbs a building used for religious purposes by using profanity, rude or indecent behavior, or making noise. A person commits the crime if they engage in such behavior within the house of worship or so close to the building that the services are disturbed.”
Senath resident Justin Casey believes the Protection Act is necessary.
“There’s a lot of people that come and disrupt church because some people don’t agree with it,” he said. “You don’t want them to go into your house and disrupt what you got to do and law protects that so why not protect church like that.” …
The ACLU filed the suit on behalf of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), and Voice of the Faithful of Kansas City.
SNAP and Voice of the Faithful members believe their protests outside Catholic churches in support of sexual abuse victims could be deemed illegal under the House of Worship Protection Act.
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