Posts
Craig Miller, the founder of AIDS
Walk Los Angeles, has sued the city of Santa Monica regarding its decision to
prohibit the organization’s paid ads on Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus system.
Miller alleges that the barring of promotional ads for the group’s fundraiser
in October was in violation of free speech. Santa Monica residents Paloma
Bennett and Lisa Brisse are joining him in the suit. At issue is that the Big
Blue Bus system stated last year that it could not continue to display the ads
because only commercial advertising is allowed to be run. However, it had
previously run the nonprofit group’s ads for several years.
The bus system’s chief
administrative officer, Joe Stitcher, explained earlier in September that the
prohibition had been on the books for a long time, and in the past, officials
had mistakenly violated it when they allowed ads for AIDS Walk Los Angeles and
other nonprofit groups. He stated that the ban was meant to shield the bus
system from becoming a “public forum,” which is a legal designation meaning
that city officials had little control over the content of ads.
The plaintiffs from AIDS Walk Los
Angeles stated in their suit that without their advertising on the defendant’s
buses, those who will benefit from their event will be negatively impacted in
terms of the funds raised and distributed, the numbers of people participating,
and the communication of the AIDS Walk Los Angeles’ message.
There were 30,000 volunteers
participating in the event in 2011. AIDS Walk Los Angeles has raised more than
$72 million for HIV programs and services in Los Angeles County since it began
in 1985.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
