SAN FRANCISCO — Opponents of a measure that would make it a misdemeanor to circumcise male children in San Francisco filed a lawsuit Wednesday to get the initiative stricken from the November ballot.
The plaintiffs called the measure anti-Semitic, a threat to the religious freedom of Jews and Muslims, and an infringement on parental and medical rights. But during a news conference, attorney Michael Jacobs said the group is suing on the grounds that state law prohibits local governments from restricting medical procedures.
The measure would prohibit what it calls the “genital cutting of male minors.” Anyone who performed a circumcision would face a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail. Lloyd Schofield, a spokesman for the proponents of the measure, did not respond to requests for comment. Los Angeles Times
