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Lawsuits Seek Removal Of Ten Commandments Display At Arkansas Capitol

Ten Commandments Jason Rapert
Brian Chilson
/
Arkansas Times

Opponents of a Ten Commandments display at the Arkansas state Capitol are suing to have the monument removed, arguing it's an unconstitutional endorsement of religion by government.

Separate lawsuits were filed in federal court Wednesday challenging the display, which was installed on the Capitol grounds last month. A 2015 law required the state to allow the privately funded monument.

The monument was reinstalled last month after the original version was destroyed last year by a man who crashed his car into the display.

One of the lawsuits was filed by American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas on behalf of four state residents. The other was filed by a coalition of groups and residents that includes the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the Arkansas Humanist Association.

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