Federal court sides with Kansas State Fair in PETA lawsuit

[proud2BlibKansan]

I wonder if they will shield people from the aborted fetus pictures at the Kansans for Life booth?

WICHITA -- A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Kansas State Fair can require an animal-rights group to shield people walking by its booth from easily seeing images depicting animal slaughter.

U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten rejected a request from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to block the restrictions on its booth for the fair, which starts Friday. The judge determined the fair is a “limited public forum,” because exhibitors have to apply for a booth and pay a fee — unlike a public square, for example, where anybody has the right to protest or speak.

PETA plans to show a 13-minute video, “Glass Walls,” which depicts animals being slaughtered and instances of abuse at factory farms. It filed a lawsuit last week asking the court to immediately block the fair’s requirements that it shield people from the video.

In rejecting the group’s request for that restraining order, Marten said restrictions imposed by fair officials were minimal and did not constitute any significant infringement on PETA’s free speech rights. However, Marten declined to dismiss PETA’s lawsuit, as the state had requested.

Marten noted fair officials are not preventing PETA from showing its undercover video. Instead, he said, this could be as simple as turning a TV screen away from the public flow down the aisle.


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/04/3795479/federal-court-takes-up-peta-lawsuit.html#storylink=cpy

[Confusious]

1. I don't like PETA

but I find it strange the court would do that.

Must be the conservative courts. Used to be they would do everything (within limits ie no shouting fire in a theater) to expand free speech.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. The judge was "uncomfortable" with his ruling.

The judge was clearly uncomfortable with his ruling, telling lawyers at a hearing that it ran counter to his own personal feelings and saying that he would not have a problem taking his own children by the video. But he said he believed the fair board acted responsibly. He invited PETA to appeal to the 10th Circuit for an immediate ruling that would provide more guidance.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/04/3795479/federal-court-takes-up-peta-lawsuit.html#storylink=cpy