In Manhattan, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine has canceled plans to become a temporary field hospital for COVID-19 patients. Leaders of the church’s progressive congregation had a partnership with the field hospital’s operator, the Christian fundamentalist group Samaritan’s Purse. In a statement, church leaders wrote, “The beliefs and ideologies of Samaritan’s Purse and the Cathedral are not the same, and while we were willing to welcome them into our home and our community, the Cathedral would not waver on our outspoken support for the rights of all, including our LGBTQ family.” According to a cathedral source, the cathedral planned to hang a pride flag on the front of the building, which was unacceptable to Samaritan’s Purse.

Earlier this week, New York City activist Reverend Billy was tackled and arrested by police after he planted a rainbow flag near the Samaritan’s Purse field hospital tents in Central Park outside Mount Sinai Hospital.