Opinion ID: 2499424
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Nature of Restriction: Content-Based

Text: [¶ 71] The final consideration in determining the level of scrutiny that must be used in determining the TRO's constitutionality is the nature of the TRO's restriction, that is, whether the TRO is content-neutral or content-based. Content-neutral restrictions are those that are justified without reference to the content of the regulated speech. Boos, 485 U.S. at 320, 108 S.Ct. at 1163. A restriction that seeks to protect or shield an audience from disturbing or distressing aspects of speech is content-based. Id. at 321, 108 S.Ct. at 1164; see also Brown, 131 S.Ct. at 2733-34. Likewise, a restriction that is based on an audience's hostile response to the speech is content-based regulation. Forsyth County, 505 U.S. at 134-35, 112 S.Ct. at 2403-04. [¶ 72] The Town sought the TRO and the district court issued the TRO to protect children from the images contained in OSA's demonstration materials and to address the concern that there may be a hostile response to the OSA demonstrations. The restrictions were thus content-based. [¶ 73] Because the TRO imposes content-based restrictions on OSA's speech in a traditional public forum, the TRO is subject to strict scrutiny. Because the Act imposes a restriction on the content of protected speech, it is invalid unless [the government] can demonstrate that it passes strict scrutinythat is, unless it is justified by a compelling government interest and is narrowly drawn to serve that interest. R.A.V. [ v. City of St. Paul ], 505 U.S. [377], at 395, 112 S.Ct. 2538, [120 L.Ed.2d 305 (1992)]. The State must specifically identify an actual problem in need of solving, [ United States v. ] Playboy [ Entertainment Group, Inc. ], 529 U.S. [803], at 822-823, 120 S.Ct. 1878 [146 L.Ed.2d 865 (2000)], and the curtailment of free speech must be actually necessary to the solution, see R.A.V., supra, at 395, 112 S.Ct. 2538. That is a demanding standard. It is rare that a regulation restricting speech because of its content will ever be permissible. Playboy, supra, at 818, 120 S.Ct. 1878. Brown, 131 S.Ct. at 2738.