Religious Safety Act gets preliminary injunction

BROOKLYN — A New York federal judge granted a preliminary injunction halting the enforcement of the Religious Safety Act, which would have prohibited picketing, oral advocacy and literature distribution within 35 feet of entrances or driveways leading to houses of worship. The advocates challenging the law wish to advocate for immigrants as an expression of their Catholic faith, and because the law would give criminal penalties for even basic First Amendment activities such as wearing T-shirts with political messages, they are likely to succeed on their challenge.