MCFL Press Release re Buffer Zone

For Immediate Release                        Contact Janet Callahan: 617-242-4199 ext. 230
Boston, June 26, 2014
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Massachusetts Citizens for Life welcomes the Supreme Court unanimous decision, McCullen v. Coakley, which strikes down the Massachusetts so-called Buffer Zone as a violation of the First Amendment.

The court reiterates tradition in this country that the sidewalk is the vehicle for free speech.  There are already laws on the books which prohibit blocking entrances, harassing people, etc.

​The McCullen decision makes it clear that more restrictive laws may be written only if the current laws are not working – something that the state of Massachusetts failed to prove.

"This is a victory for all citizens who value their First Amendment rights and for clinic-bound women who might need someone to talk to," says Anne Fox, President.

Mark Rienzi, the lead counsel said, "Americans have the freedom to talk to whomever they please on public sidewalks. That includes peaceful pro-lifers like Eleanor McCullen, who just wants to offer information and help to women who would like it. The Supreme Court has affirmed a critical freedom that has been an essential part of American life since the nation's founding."


​Massachusetts Citizens for Life is the oldest and largest pro-life organization in the state.  Founded in 1973, it works to restore legal protection to all human life.