Black Church Owner in Johnston Files Lawsuit Alleging Racial Discrimination
GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle
Black Church Owner in Johnston Files Lawsuit Alleging Racial Discrimination
As GoLocal was first to report in November ("Johnston Blocks Black Church Says Reverend, City Official Calls Him “F___ing Black Owner”), Abhulime's contractor taped a Johnston building official making a racially charged statement regarding Abhulime, who has been trying to open a church in town since last year.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“This is 2016. This is the United States of America. This type of government behavior is outrageous and should have been corrected immediately.” said the Rev. Chris Abhulime. “Though the laws have certainly changed for the better since 1891, the heart of man has remained the same—which is why Jesus’s message of repentance and forgiveness for our sins remains such good news.”
The federal lawsuit was filed on January 25 by Mauck & Baker, LLC, a Chicago law firm which litigates religious land use cases all across the country, and Warwick attorney Andrew J. McKay.
Federal Lawsuit
King’s Tabernacle Church filed a federal lawsuit today against the town of Johnston after giving town officials ample time to correct its opposition to the church and address the racist conduct of its Zoning Official Ben Nascenzi. Early last year, King’s Tabernacle purchased the 124 year old church located at 500 Greenville Avenue from the Belknap Community Church.
However, the town would not allow King’s Tabernacle, a predominantly African-American congregation, to meet at its new property without a “special use permit.” Even though the quintessential church building had been used for religious assembly for over a century, Johnston’s Zoning Board of Review voted unanimously in June 2015 to deny the church zoning. The Church appealed the denial to the superior court. That appeal is still pending.
After the denial, Mr. Nascenzi was caught on video making foul and racist comments about the Church’s “black” ownership. Mayor Joseph M. Polisena offered to meet and apologize, but ultimately the town chose to retain Mr. Nascenzi and did nothing to correct its zoning decision.
The federal lawsuit was filed by Mauck & Baker, LLC, a Chicago law firm which litigates religious land use cases all across the country, and Warwick attorney Andrew J. McKay. The lawsuit challenges the Town’s discriminatory zoning code which freely permits non-religious assemblies, like theaters and concert halls, at the Church’s property but does not freely permit religious assembly.
“We can all agree that there is no place for religious or racial discrimination in America. Our country’s guarantee that everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law trumps a municipality’s interest in tax revenue and certainly the racial prejudices of a zoning official.” said Mauck & Baker attorney Noel W. Sterett. “It is well past time for Johnston to make things right and we hope they will. If they do not, we are confident that the court will.”
Read the Lawsuit HERE
Editor's Note: A previous version has reported the story as exclusive after GoLocal was contacted by Abhulime; the lawsuit appeared on Patch on January 25.
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In a meeting with his supervisor and the contractor on the project that was taped, Johnston building inspector Ben Nascenzi can be heard referring to Reverend Dr. Chris Abhulime as “the fucking black owner” of the former historic Belknap Church.
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