Taylorsville settles in animal rights suit

Published: Saturday, Sept. 23, 2006 10:16 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
The city of Taylorsville has settled out of court in response to a lawsuit filed last summer by an animal rights group.

According to Salt Lake City attorney Brian Barnard, who represented members of the Utah Animal Rights Coalition, Taylorsville recently paid $15,800 to settle the suit.

The suit was filed after the city and Mayor Russ Wall relegated UARC members to a city-created "free speech zone" during the city's "Taylorsville Dayzz" celebration last July. Activists said they were handing out pamphlets and talking to patrons about animal cruelty in the food industry when they were told by city officials they must stand in the "free speech zone" near a parking lot and away from the events and crowd traffic.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against Taylorsville, instructing the city to allow UARC to mingle among the crowd and hand out their literature. U.S. District Judge Bruce Jenkins found the city had no compelling interest in prohibiting political or activist conversation and leafletting outside a speech zone.

Barnard called the settlement "another good day for the First Amendment in Utah."

The mayor's executive order, creating the zone, was in effect only for a four-day period during the festival and then expired.

Story continues below

Activists said they were trying to convince people to turn "vegan" in an effort to prevent the cruel treatment of animals.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Just borrow a few bucks from Geneva Corporation or your brother Joe. Quit...

Bengals sign former BYU fullback

Thank you! This BYU fan cheers for Utes success at the next level!

Innocent till proven guilty!!!

>how do we know if this girl was even telling the truth? Exactly. Research...

Sorry, I guess we'll "See Ya Later".

Let Milsap go and go to the Knicks with a trade for Boozer. They get...

If the Jazz use their head not their heart we have to let Paul go. That is...

I know this man and his wife and kids. I have known him for years and years....

to resign milsip boozer has to go make the 3 team trade get tyrus thomas...

Advertisements