Judge Denies Oakland's Request to Deny Pro-Life Pastor's Free Speech Rights

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 27, 2009

Oakland, CA (LifeNews.com) -- A judge has denied a motion form officials with the City of Oakland to permanently prevent a pro-life pastor from presenting abortion alternatives to women outside an abortion center. Pastor Walter Hoye has been fighting with the city over the black minister's efforts to reach out to local women.

Hoye had appeared outside the Family Planning Specialists abortion center until the city council approved an ordinance that targets the free speech rights of pro-life advocates.

It places a “bubble zone” in place within eight feet of women entering any local abortion business.

Attorneys from the Life Legal Defense Foundation, a pro-life legal group, challenged the law in court as an unconstitutional infringement on the First Amendment rights of Hoye and other pro-life advocates.

After initially losing his case and spending weeks in prison, Hoye received a victory. the rest