Another win for pro-life free speech rights

In February, we reported that Created Equal had launched Project Weak Link, a petition effort calling upon Stericycle to cease doing business with Planned Parenthood. Stericycle is a medical waste disposal company. In addition to its legitimate business, Stericycle unfortunately contracts with abortionists. Planned Parenthood centers rely upon Stericycle to, quite literally, get rid of the bodies.

Supplementing the petition effort, Created Equal began distributing flyers in Lake Forest, IL, where Stericycle is headquartered. Stericycle was none too pleased and sued, seeking a restraining order to censor Created Equal. The hearing was held yesterday.

Created Equal argued that Organization for a Better Austin v. Keefe was dispositive.  In Keefe, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a “blockbusting” real estate broker could not use the courts to silence critics of his racist business practices. The protestors’ First Amendment rights were paramount. For the same reasons, Created Equal argued, Stericycle’s proposed restraining order would be unlawful.

The court agreed. Celebrating the win, Created Equal director Mark Harrington said in a press release:

We will not be bullied into silence. This lawsuit confirms that Stericycle is more interested in doing the dirty work for Planned Parenthood than protecting their image as a respectable waste disposal company. Further public exposure of their sloppy and unethical business practices in a lawsuit is far more damaging to Stericycle’s image than ceasing to dispose of aborted babies for Planned Parenthood. If Stericycle is really concerned about their image, they need to cease transporting and disposing of aborted babies for Planned Parenthood. The campaign continues.

Keep up the good fight, Mark!

This is just the latest in a long pattern of censorship attempts from the abortion lobby. You can read about more examples here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and I could go on.