Pro-Life Action Ministries, et al. v. City of Minneapolis
On behalf of Pro-Life Action Ministries and pro-life advocates, Thomas More Society filed a lawsuit in April 2023 against the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota—challenging the city’s no-speech buffer zone around entrances to abortion facilities.
Minneapolis City Code Chapter 405 prohibits pro-life advocates from entering even the public sidewalk portion of an abortion facility driveway when sidewalk counseling or sharing life-affirming messaging.
In reality, this ordinance creates “an unconstitutional, content-based exclusion zone, created exclusively for the purpose of shutting down pro-life speech outside of abortion facilities,” said Erick Kaardal, Thomas More Society Special Counsel.
“It’s a simple situation,” Kaardal added. “The ministry of pro-life sidewalk counseling is a peaceful interaction with pregnant women to convey life-affirming alternatives to abortion. Yet the City of Minneapolis has specifically enacted an ordinance designed to prevent any success at conducting this peaceful interaction by Pro-Life Action Ministries, its staff members or volunteers, and any others involved in similar activities. And, the young pregnant woman constitutionally loses by not getting the information she may want.”
Case Documents & Updates
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District Court Judge Eric C. Tostrud's opinion and order on City of Minneapolis’s Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART
Complaint filed by Thomas More Society attorneys in Pro-Life Action Ministries v. City of Minneapolis.
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Media Alert regarding U.S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud's Opinion and Order on the City's Motion to Dismiss.
Press release announcing lawsuit on behalf of Pro-Life Action Ministries and pro-life advocates against Minneapolis' bubble zone.
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Fox News | Pro-life group sues Minneapolis over ordinance against blocking abortion clinic entrances
Pro-Life Action Ministries of St. Paul says the ordinance infringes on its First Amendment rights.
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