Appeals court agrees city can’t ban Catholic group’s rally

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
Associated Press

A federal appeals court has upheld a judge’s ruling that Baltimore city officials cannot ban a conservative Roman Catholic media outlet from holding a rally at a city-owned pavilion during a U.S. bishops’ meeting. A three-judge panel from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals didn’t explain its decision late Wednesday to uphold U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander’s Oct. 12 ruling in favor of St. Michael’s Media Inc. Hollander said St. Michael’s, also known as Church Militant, is likely to succeed on its claims that the city discriminated against it on the basis of its political views and violated its First Amendment free speech rights. The group plans to hold a prayer rally on Nov. 16.