St. Anthony's rejection of Islamic center leads to lawsuit

Studying the Qur'an
In this 2010 file photo, teenagers study the Qur'an at the Islamic Center of St. Cloud.
MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson

The city of St. Anthony was sued by the Justice Department last week after the city council refused to issue a permit to a group wishing to build a mosque.

More from MPR News:

Abu-Huraira Islamic Center proposed a mosque at the old Medtronic headquarters in St. Anthony at 3055 Old Highway 8. The City Council voted 4-1 in June 2012 not to issue a conditional use permit for the mosque, citing appropriate land use. Supporters of the mosque said religion was the issue.

Public testimony in 2012 included open opposition to allowing an Islamic congregation to meet in the city at all.

The civil suit filed by Luger alleges that the city violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000, which exempts religious buildings from many zoning regulations.

On The Daily Circuit, we discuss how mosques and Islamic cultural centers are being received in other communities across the country. How have Americans' attitudes toward Muslims changed over time?

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