A Pennsylvania federal district court denied an injunction blocking a 20-foot buffer zone around an abortion clinic but ruled the lawsuit may continue.
The case of Reilly v. City of Harrisburg challenges a city buffer zone law on public sidewalks and property 20 feet away from abortion clinics’ entrances, exits and driveways.
Liberty Counsel filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Harrisburg because it claims the ordinance created unconstitutional buffer zones. The lawsuit argues the buffer zone pushes back counselors and others from the clinic, silencing their speech.
Liberty Counsel represents plaintiffs Becky Biter, Rosalie Gross and Colleen Reilly, who engage in sidewalk counseling outside the Planned Parenthood and Hillcrest abortion facilities. The plaintiffs argue since the passage of the buffer zone ordinance, they have been harassed and intimidated by both clinic staff and the local police.
“We will continue the court challenge to this speech restrictive law,” said Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, in a prepared statement on Friday. “We will likely appeal the injunction but will certainly continue the legal challenge.”
“A record number of abortion facilities have closed in the past several years due to sidewalk counselors providing help and information to women, an increased number of laws restricting abortion, and fewer doctors willing to devote their careers to killing children,” Staver said. “These abortion buffer zone laws are desperate efforts to prevent women from receiving information that could change their fateful decisions to end the life of their child. These laws collide with free speech and will not be successful.”
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a buffer zone around a Massachusetts abortion facility in 2013.