Justice Dept. Sues Pennsylvania Community for Refusing Mosque

The Justice Department is suing a Pennsylvania community for not allowing a mosque to be built there. 

Bensalem Township, located in Bucks County, is situated between Philadelphia and New York City and has a population of approximately 60,000 residents.

The Justice Department says township leaders discriminated against the Bensalem Masjid in 2014 by refusing to grant zoning approval for the Islamic organization's new 17,000-square-foot mosque, to be built on the outskirts of town.

The zoning board voted 4-0 against construction. The Islamic group seeking to build the mosque currently holds their religious services in a rented fire hall.

In their suit against the township, the Justice Department alleges the community "imposed a substantial burden on the Bensalem Masjid's religious exercise," treating them "less favorably than the township treats nonreligious assemblies." 

They allege the town "discriminated against (them) on the basis of religion."

The complaint against the township accuses them of requiring only one hearing for non-Muslim applicants seeking zoning approval, while there were six hearings required of the Bensalem Masjid.