What was the outcome of Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. Hialeah (1993)?

In the case of Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. Hialeah (1993), the Supreme Court ruled that the city ordinance banning animal sacrifice was unconstitutional. The Court determined that the ordinance targeted the religious practices of the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye specifically, thus violating the First Amendment’s guarantee of the free exercise of religion. The ordinances were deemed neither neutral nor generally applicable, as they were designed to suppress a specific religious practice rather than address a legitimate concern about animal welfare.

The ruling reinforced the principle that laws cannot single out religious practices for prohibition, affirming that individuals are entitled to practice their faith freely, even if the practices might be controversial or unconventional. This case is significant in First Amendment jurisprudence, as it set important precedents about the protection of religious practices in the face of governmental regulation.