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Satanic Temple Sues Louisiana Advertising Company After Refusing To Display The Group’s Billboards

JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images

Adam Barnes General Assignment Reporter
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The Satanic Temple said Wednesday that it is suing in Arkansas court an advertising company for allegedly refusing to display images depicting a ritual to circumvent state abortion laws, according to the Associated Press.

The Massachusetts-based temple is suing Lamar Advertising for religious discrimination, the Associated Press reported. The suit accuses the advertising company of refusing to display a “religious abortion ritual” on eight billboards in Indiana and Arkansas. (RELATED: Satanic Temple Will Sue Mississippi If It Adds ‘In God We Trust’ To New Flag)


“While it is understandable to be concerned with forcing a private entity to engage in speech or conduct it objects to, this scenario is different,” Lucien Greaves, co-founder of The Satanic Temple, told AL.com. “Lamar initially agreed to work with us and their rejection appears to be religiously based. In addition, they have a virtual monopoly in certain regions. In this way, Lamar is able to regulate public speech and they are not permitted to selectively exclude religious voices they object to.”

The temple says Lamar turned down five signs that the group intended to display next to crisis pregnancy centers, the AP added. One billboard depicted a bowl of cake batter with the words, “not a cake,” and an image of a sperm and egg with “not a baby.”

Lamar said in the suit that the billboards were “misleading and offensive,” but the Satanic Temple said it is religious discrimination.