Religion case at Supreme Court draws a crowd

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on a high-profile First Amendment case, but outside the building activists argued their case to a crowd lined up to get inside to hear the real debate.

At issue in the case is whether putting up a memorial cross on federal land in the Mojave Desert amounts to a government endorsement of religion.

Lines of people hoping to get in to Wednesday morning’s oral argument stretched nearly around the block.