The California Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a Los Angeles ordinance that prohibits Hare Krishna members and other groups from soliciting money at Los Angeles International Airport.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness of California challenged the 1997 ordinance, and a federal trial court ruled that it violated the state’s constitutional guarantee of free speech.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals referred the case to California’s high court, which has final say over matters of state law. In finding the Los Angeles law constitutional, the state Supreme Court said the International Society for Krishna Consciousness "has ample alternative means of conveying its message."
"It can distribute literature and speak to willing travelers," Justice Carlos R. Moreno wrote for the court. "It can even seek financial support, as long as it does not request the immediate exchange of funds."
— Maura Dolan in San Francisco
Photo: A scene at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times
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