The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of Tulsa (IST) are set to announce a lawsuit against the City of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, following the city's denial of a rezoning request for a proposed mosque. A press conference will be held on Monday, August 3, at 1 PM CT, at the Islamic Society of Tulsa.
The lawsuit stems from Broken Arrow's rejection of IST's rezoning application in January, which sought to develop property near East 121st St. South and South 129th East Ave. into a community center. This proposed center was planned to include retail space, a food pantry, and a mosque.
This legal action follows a recent decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation into Broken Arrow's zoning and land use practices. The probe, welcomed by CAIR, will reportedly examine the city's denial of the mosque rezoning request under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
CAIR has also highlighted a significant increase in incidents targeting Islamic places of worship, documenting 17 such incidents in May, June, and July, representing a 183 percent rise compared to the same period last year. This lawsuit underscores ongoing concerns regarding religious freedom and land use.