Washington DC
Cardinal hails victory for pro-lifers
The US Supreme Court has ruled that a California law requiring crisis pregnancy centres to post notices about nearby abortion services violates the rights of free speech enshrined in the constitution. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York praised the ruling as “an important victory for the free speech rights of pro-life organisations”. He said it allowed pro-life centres to continue providing support “without being forced by governments to provide free advertising for the violent act of abortion”. The court found that the law changed the content of clinics’ speech “by compelling petitioners to speak a particular message”, and that it went further than being a mere “regulation of professional conduct that incidentally burdens speech”.
