BAYONNE — A federal lawsuit filed against the city asserts the Bayonne Zoning Board violated federal law by denying a Muslim group’s application to build a mosque and community center on the east side of town.

The complaint, which was filed in federal court Thursday afternoon, argues that the city of Bayonne and its zoning board violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by denying approval for the plan based on factors board members were not legally permitted to consider.

RLUIPA is a federal statute that protects churches and other religious institutions from burdensome zoning law restrictions of their property use.

The plaintiffs, Abdul Hameed Butt and Khaled Aly — the president and vice president of the Bayonne Muslims, respectively — assert that the zoning board’s denial of the proposed house of worship was influenced by “anti-Muslim community animus,” according to the complaint.

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