Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Street Preacher Lacks Standing To Challenge COVID Restrictions

 In Gibson v. City of Vancouver, (WD WA, June 7, 2021), a Washington federal district court dismissed for lack of standing a suit by a street preacher who claims that Washington state's COVID-19 restrictions unconstitutionally target religious activities. He also contended that the City of Vancouver selectively targets religious protesters for arrest for violating COVID-19 restrictions. The court said in part:

The Defendants accurately describe this matter as a case in search of a controversy. There has been no specific or credible threat of enforcement, and there is no history of enforcement. Gibson’s claims were never ripe, and he did not and does not have standing to assert them....