Supreme Court declines case of aerial anti-abortion banners

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court yesterday refused to consider the case of an anti-abortion group seeking to fly planes over Honolulu towing aerial banners displaying images of aborted fetuses. The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform has flown its advocacy ads over 19 states, but a Honolulu ordinance bans aerial tow-banner operations. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal judge's ruling that the city's ordinance does not violate the First Amendment and is a "reasonable and viewpoint neutral restriction on speech in a nonpublic forum." The group has other means of conveying its message, the appeals court said. The anti-abortion group said it was disappointed but wouldn't give up its quest to fly planes over the island. "We're not going away," said Gregg Cunningham, director of the Orange County, Calif.-based group.

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