A federal judge in Riverside County has ordered the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority to pay more than $250,815 to PETA to cover the cost of litigating the animal advocacy group's successful lawsuit over the placement of ads on buses, according to a ruling obtained Thursday.
Metro was hit with a free speech lawsuit in 2021 by PETA, challenging the transit agency's advertising policy and apparent refusal to allow the ads on its buses.
According to PETA, Metro's policy permitted popcorn chicken ads from Jack in the Box, but refused to allow "I'm Not Popcorn Chicken" ads from PETA.
The suit, filed in Los Angeles federal court against Metro and its chief executive, Stephanie Wiggins, alleged violations of the animal-defense group's First Amendment rights. The suit was later moved to Riverside federal court.
In December 2022, U.S. District Judge Sunshine Suzanne Sykes granted summary judgment to PETA, finding that Metro's general prohibition on such advertisements was unconstitutional.
In a June 13 ruling, Sykes awarded PETA attorneys fees in the amount of $250,815, costs in the amount of $424.74, and post-judgment interest.
A Metro representative did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
In the suit, PETA claimed that before trying to run its pro-chicken ad, it tried to place a "Wear Vegan" ad with Metro. Both ads featured nongraphic imagery and a simple, straightforward appeal to practice kindness to animals, according to PETA.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to eat, wear, or abuse in any other way" -- opposes speciesism, a "human-supremacist" outlook.
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The first ad, which PETA wished to run on public transport five years ago, featured a sheep and a message imploring readers to wear vegan clothes. The second ad featured a chicken and urged viewers to go vegan, and was in direct response to ads Metro had previously run promoting popcorn chicken from Jack in the Box, the lawsuit stated.
"The court agreed that PETA's efforts to encourage commuters to see animals as someone, not something, were unconstitutionally quashed by LA Metro," Asher Smith, director of litigation at the PETA Foundation, said in a statement.
The ruling "is a win against injustice and a warning to public officials that there are serious consequences for discriminating against animal rights advocates," he added.
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