An anti-abortion group, 40 Days for Life, filed a federal lawsuit yesterday against a Wisconsin public library that cancelled the group's scheduled showing in a library public meeting room of a film titled Blood Money. The library claimed that the film would interfere with normal use of the library and therefore was in violation of the library's rules for use of meeting rooms. The Memorandum in Support of Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction (full text) in 40 Days For Life of Wassau v. Illick, (WD WI, filed 3/30/2011), claims that the Marathon County (WI) library's standards for use of public meeting rooms are vague and place unlimited discretion in the hands of the library director and trustees. It also claims the rules are not viewpoint neutral. Thomas More Society yesterday issued a press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit.
UPDATE: In a letter dated March 31, counsel for Marathon County wrote plaintiffs' counsel informing them that the library will now permit showing of the scheduled film. The letter says in part: "Although the library had legitimate concerns raised by Facebook postings regarding the staging of a protest at the library as a result of you client's actions, it has been determined that this matter should not be litigated." (TMS press release).
