Judge: Police can’t ban buttons protesting Ga. abortion bill

ATLANTA – A federal judge says police cannot ban demonstrators from wearing Planned Parenthood buttons that include profanity in public areas of the Georgia Capitol.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia had filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Capitol police officers. The suit said two women who oppose legislation that would ban some abortions wore pink buttons last week that included profanity in a slogan.

The lawsuit says Capitol police ordered them to remove the buttons and that officers said items with “curse words” weren’t allowed because children were present.

U.S. District Judge Steve Jones on Thursday ordered police not to ban the buttons pending the outcome of the case. He said the ACLU had demonstrated that the wearing of the buttons is likely covered by First Amendment protections for free speech.