Law Targeting Animal Rights Protests Nullified

In Salt Lake City, U.S. District Judge Bruce Jenkins struck down the state’s Commercial Terrorism law, a statute that targeted animal rights protests, as overly broad and unconstitutional.

The law prohibited protesters from entering an “animal enterprise” for the purpose of interfering with employees, customers or operations. It also prohibited pickets from emitting light rays or sound waves that might enter a business.

The law’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Gerry Adair, had said that he did not want the state to go to trial over the law and that he would try to amend it during the 2002 session to remove problem areas.