Associated Press – 4/24/06:

In the nation’s capital, where parking is scarce, churchgoers say plans to crack down on double-parking infringe on their religious rights.

Worshipers held a rally Sunday afternoon urging officials to let them continue a practice that has long been overlooked.

The D.C. Department of Transportation was planning to hand out warning tickets this weekend and real tickets starting in July, but officials now say they’ll review the enforcement program.

Cars have commonly been double-parked near DC churches on Sundays for decades, but police had largely ignored the practice until neighbors complained.

At the rally, the church-goers blamed new high-rise developments.