The Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport Board says it didn’t unconstitutionally hamper the free speech rights of the world’s largest animal-rights group by refusing an anti-animal cruelty for the Rock Springs airport.
The Friday evening statement counters a lawsuit the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed Tuesday against the airport.
The lawsuit accuses the airport of unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination — a speech rights violation — for reportedly not allowing PETA to place an advertisement in the airport’s terminal.
The proposed ad features a cow with a leather travel bag as its body with, “Was She Killed to Make Your Carry-On?” printed in large letter next to the cow, with a smaller caption that says, “Cruelty doesn’t fly — Choose vegan.”
The Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport Board’s statement says advertising space is limited at the airport, which isn’t a discriminatory factor.
‘Set The Record Straight’
The board is looking closely at the allegations contained in the lawsuit, says the board’s Friday statement.
“We have no intention of trying this legal matter in public. We look forward to answering the allegations in this suit through the appropriate channels, where we will set the record straight on PETA’s misstatements and mischaracterizations,” it says. “We do, though, want to refute any contention that the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport is unlawfully limiting anyone’s First Amendment rights to free speech.”
The announcement says the airport is a limited public forum, a place where viewpoint discrimination is unconstitutional.
But the statement says limited public forums still have the right to place limits on advertising speech by restricting the time, place and manner of the advertising.
The constraint at hand is a lengthy ongoing construction project, the statement says, not a viewpoint ban.
“Those limitations are clearly content and viewpoint neutral and meet the test of the First Amendment law,” the statement adds. “While PETA may use this complaint to garner attention, the Airport will stand on its record of supporting free speech, a fundamental right that is dear to all Wyomingites.”
Lastly, the statement adds details about the airport:
The Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport is a commercial and general aviation airport serving Southwest Wyoming and is located 7 miles east of Rock Springs in Sweetwater County.
It is owned by the city of Rock Springs and operated by the Rock Springs Sweetwater County Airport Joint Powers Board representing both the city of Rock Springs and Sweetwater County.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
