The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against two Salt Lake County employees by animal-rights activists.
The decision stems from a February 2007 demonstration by five members of the Utah Animal Rights Coalition (UARC) at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park. The picketers were protesting a calf-roping event at the Jordan World Circus taking place at the park, which is county-owned land in South Jordan.
A county employee called South Jordan police, who told the demonstrators to leave because they did not have a permit. The demonstrators sued the city and county in federal court, claiming violation of their free speech rights.
Salt Lake County permits small demonstrations without a permit but South Jordan did not in 2007 and, under state law, its ordinances applied at the park. The city eventually settled the UARC suit by agreeing to not enforce permit requirements for demonstrations involving five or fewer people.
The coalition continued to press its claims against two county employees who were responsible for park operations. U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball ruled in 2007 that the two did not cause the protest to disband and dismissed the suit. The picketers appealed, leading to Monday's ruling.
