Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys
filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana’s public
transportation company for refusing to accept this ad from a pro-life health
care referral service for women in need. Citilink denied Women’s Health Link’s
request simply because its website contains information on “controversial
issues,” the city-run company says.
“No one deserves to be silenced simply for having a viewpoint that city officials don’t favor,” said Litigation Counsel Rory Gray. “When the city creates an opportunity for community advertising, it cannot single out pro-life organizations for censorship. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech for all people, regardless of their political or religious beliefs.”
Women’s Health Link is a free referral resource for women seeking physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental health care. Last October, Women’s Health Link asked to place the ad in Citlink’s buses.
“No one deserves to be silenced simply for having a viewpoint that city officials don’t favor,” said Litigation Counsel Rory Gray. “When the city creates an opportunity for community advertising, it cannot single out pro-life organizations for censorship. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech for all people, regardless of their political or religious beliefs.”
Women’s Health Link is a free referral resource for women seeking physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental health care. Last October, Women’s Health Link asked to place the ad in Citlink’s buses.
Citilink denied the requests twice because Women’s Health
Link is associated with Allen County Right to Life, a pro-life organization,
and because Citilink officials said that the Women’s Health Link website
discusses “controversial issues.” Citilink has permitted many non-profit and
government organizations to place public service announcements with various
messages in the interior of their buses, including the state of Indiana,
Parkview Health, and the United Way.
The complaint claims that Citilink’s advertising policies give “officials unbridled discretion to accept or reject private expression protected by the First Amendment.” The policies violate Women’s Health Link’s “fundamental rights, including its right to freedom of speech and freedom of association,” the complaint states.
“The city’s stated reasons for denying this ad do not pass constitutional muster,” added Senior Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco. “We hope Citilink will change course by permitting our client’s advertisement and revising its policies so that everyone can exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms.”
The complaint claims that Citilink’s advertising policies give “officials unbridled discretion to accept or reject private expression protected by the First Amendment.” The policies violate Women’s Health Link’s “fundamental rights, including its right to freedom of speech and freedom of association,” the complaint states.
“The city’s stated reasons for denying this ad do not pass constitutional muster,” added Senior Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco. “We hope Citilink will change course by permitting our client’s advertisement and revising its policies so that everyone can exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms.”
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