Press Release: 1/23/2026

Massachusetts high court to decide if City of Quincy can build statues honoring first responders Court grants review in Quincy’s fight to recognize the courage of its police & firefighters

 



Media Release Date



For Immediate Release:



 



January 22, 2026



Media Contact



Ryan Colby202-349-7219media@becketfund.org



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION



Legal Doc: Application for Direct Appellate Review in Fitzmaurice v. City of Quincy



12/23/2025



Case Page: Fitzmaurice v. City of Quincy



Images of statues in Massachusetts, including the Ether Monument, figure of "Faith" in the National Monument to Forefathers, Relief of Moses in the John Adams Courthouse, and the Puritan in Springfield. Image also shows two "missing" statues of Michael and Florian.



WASHINGTON – The highest court in Massachusetts agreed late yesterday to decide whether the City of Quincy can honor its police officers and firefighters with statues of Michael the Archangel and Florian. In Fitzmaurice v. City of Quincy, the ACLU sued to stop the city from installing the statues at its new public safety headquarters, claiming that because the figures have religious significance to some, they could not be used to honor first responders. Last fall, a lower court judge blocked the installation of the statues. Along with Quincy’s city solicitor, Becket is helping ensure that Quincy doesn’t have to scrub away civic symbols simply because some view them as religious.  



Across the country, police and fire departments have long used the figures of Michael the Archangel—a figure venerated by many faiths as a protector against evil—and Florian, a historic figure associated with firefighting and rescue, to symbolize the ideals of their professions. Fire departments use the Florian cross as their emblem, and police officers often identify with Michael as they pursue their goal of protecting communities against wrongdoers. When the City of Quincy planned its new public safety headquarters, it decided to erect statues of Michael and Florian to reflect this tradition. Quincy commissioned the statues from the same artist who created the city’s statues of John Adams and John Hancock, with the goal of honoring public servants using symbols already meaningful to the departments they serve. 



“We look forward to defending Quincy’s plan to honor our brave first responders at the Massachusetts high court,” said Thomas P. Koch, Mayor of Quincy, Massachusetts. “These statues will reflect the values our police officers and firefighters live out every day—courage, sacrifice, and service. Honoring those ideals should unite a community, not divide it.” 



Before the statues could be installed, the ACLU sued on behalf of a group of residents, arguing that Quincy could not honor its first responders in this way because Michael and Florian have inherent religious meaning. Their position would push cities to strip historic symbols from civic life whenever they carry religious associations. But the Supreme Court has upheld the use of symbols with religious roots in public life, including a World War I memorial featuring a cross, when they carry historical, cultural, or commemorative significance. Becket is helping ensure that Quincy can continue this tradition without being forced to treat religion as something unwelcome in public life.   



“For generations, cities across America have filled their public spaces with symbols that are important to their citizens, without excluding imagery simply because it has religious roots,” said Joseph Davis, senior counsel at Becket and an attorney for the City of Quincy. “The ACLU’s attempt to scrub those symbols from civic life is out of step with judicial precedent and common sense. We’re confident the Massachusetts high court will agree.”



In addition to Becket, Quincy is also represented by the city solicitor, James Timmins. 



For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketfund.org or 202-349-7219.