Civil Liberties

ACLU Sues Puerto Rico PD Over Official Prayers

On behalf of an atheist cop alleging harrassment

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The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Puerto Rico today sued officials at the Puerto Rico Police Department on behalf of an atheist officer who was harassed and effectively demoted for refusing to participate in official prayer at his precinct. After refusing to take part in prayers conducted by his supervisors during workplace meetings, Officer Alvin Marrero-Méndez was reassigned from conducting standard law enforcement tasks such as patrolling, making arrests, and handling crime-prevention actions, to washing department vehicles and acting as a messenger.