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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Operation Save America’s request for a restraining order to be lifted in a case involving a Mount Juliet, Tennessee abortion clinic has been denied. A federal appeals court voted 2-1 on Friday to uphold the injunction that bars the pro-life group and anyone associated with them from protesting outside of the clinic.
The group stated that the case is now moot since the U.S. Supreme Court decided last year to give decision making regarding abortion back to the states. When that happened, Tennessee’s “trigger law” went into effect, essentially shutting down abortion clinics across the state. There is no longer a reason to protest outside of Carafem in Mount Juliet, the pro-life group argued.
Before Tennessee’s law took effect last year, protestors with Operation Save America both entered the clinic and gathered on nearby sidewalks and parking lots outside during a protest in July 2022.
In court, Carafem argued that the protest was in violation of the FACE Act, while legal representation for the demonstrators said the group did not obstruct the doors of the clinic in any meaningful way.
According to the DOJ website, “The FACE Act is not about abortions. The law protects all patients, providers, and facilities that provide reproductive health services. This includes pro-life pregnancy counseling services and any other pregnancy support facility providing reproductive health care.”
Attorneys for Carafem said on Friday that staff at the clinic continue to provide other reproductive services and remain at risk, arguing that the injunction against Operation Save America should remain in place.
With the restraining order still in place, the case will continue in federal court in Nashville.
The clinic was also the location of a livestreamed protest in March 2021. Eleven people were later charged under the FACE Act in October 2022.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
