The Associated PressNearly 20 people who protested in front of the Planned Parenthood of Central Texas were found guilty of violating a city ordinance.
The demonstrators were cited in March for refusing to disperse in front of the clinic, across the street from a school. ..
City officials said the ordinance aims to reduce traffic hazards around schools, but anti-abortion activists say it tramples on free speech, religious liberty and the right to peaceably assemble.
Rod Goble, a municipal judge in nearby Woodway, found the demonstrators guilty of the misdemeanor on Aug. 25. Waco's municipal judge recused himself to avoid a perceived conflict of interest.
Each demonstrator faced a maximum $500 fine, but the judge issued each a $52 fine for court costs, saying their protest was not violent. ..