The highest court in Massachusetts has unanimously affirmed a lower court ruling that blocks Quincy Mayor Tom Koch from installing 10-foot-tall bronze statues of two Catholic saints on the facade of the city’s new public safety building, according to Yahoo. The legal battle centers on the $850,000 commission for statues depicting St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian, who are recognized as the patron saints of police officers and firefighters respectively.
Massachusetts High Court Upholds Ban on Saint Statues
According to Bostonherald, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the 12 Quincy taxpayers who filed the lawsuit have standing to move forward. The court concluded that the plaintiffs demonstrated a likelihood of success in showing that the display violates the state constitution’s prohibition against favoring one religious denomination over another or favoring religion over non-religion. The case now returns to Norfolk Superior Court for further proceedings.
Origins of the Public Safety Building Controversy
Mayor Thomas Koch, a practicing Catholic, commissioned the statues in 2023 for the $175 million public safety headquarters located in Quincy, a city roughly 10 miles south of Boston, as reported by usatoday.com. Although the order was placed in 2023, neither the public nor the elected city council was aware of the plans until January 2025, when reporting brought the commission to light.
Following the public disclosure, attendance at a February 2025 city council meeting surged from the usual four or five residents to more than 200 people. In May 2025, a group of local residents filed a lawsuit challenging the installation. The plaintiffs are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, while the city is represented by the Becket Fund, a nonprofit conservative law group.
Court Rationale and Legal Arguments
In September 2025, Norfolk Superior Court Judge William Sullivan issued a preliminary injunction halting the installation. Sullivan found that the statues are drawn directly from Catholic scripture and teaching, serving no discernible secular purpose while patently endorsing Catholic beliefs. Two empty niches currently remain halfway up the facade of the four-story, 120,000-square-foot building, which opened in March 2026.
Writing for the Supreme Judicial Court, Justice Kafker noted that the statues are large, stand alone, are brand new rather than long-standing, and are closely affiliated with a particular religion. Kafker stated that the figures may convey to observing members of the public implicit government support for that religion and, as a result, subordination of other religions.
Responses from City Officials and Plaintiffs
Mayor Koch and his supporters have consistently maintained that the statues were chosen to honor first responders rather than to promote any religion. In a written statement, Koch described the figures as recognized symbols of courage and sacrifice in police and fire communities worldwide.
Following the high court’s decision, Koch’s chief of staff described the ruling in an emailed statement as “disappointing” but “preliminary,” adding that the city would continue fighting for the ability to commemorate its first responders as the law permits. Becket Fund attorney Joe Davis also defended the project, stating that the city should not have to hide public art simply because some individuals associate it with religion.
Conversely, plaintiffs and community members welcomed the decision. Plaintiff Claire Fitzmaurice expressed that the city should remain a welcoming place for people of all faiths and backgrounds as the community grows more diverse. Fellow resident and plaintiff David Reich asserted that affixing the statues to the public safety building sends an exclusionary message to individuals belonging to less-favored religious groups.
