Fayetteville group seeks injunction in vote on civil-rights ordinance

Protect Fayetteville said Monday that it has filed a class-action lawsuit challenging the city's proposed civil-rights ordinance that would make it illegal to discriminate against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Uniform Civil Rights Protection Ordinance 5781 provides protections against discrimination to the LGBT community when it comes to employment, housing and service.

Early voting was set to begin Tuesday as part of a special election set for Sept. 8 to enact or repeal the civil-rights ordinance.

Parties in the lawsuit filed in Washington County Circuit Court are seeking an injunction restraining the Washington County Election Commission from holding the special election.

According to a statement, the parties — Protect Fayetteville and some local residents — believe the ordinance "is in violation of state law and religious First Amendment freedoms, has a misleading ballot title and was passed without due process."

The Fayetteville city attorney's office confirmed Monday that the lawsuit has been filed.

A hearing has been set for Friday at the Washington County Courthouse.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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