The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a challenge to the legality of buffer zones used to protect access to abortion clinics and limit harassment of patients in a challenge brought by anti-abortion activists who have argued that their free speech rights were being violated.

Justice Clarence Thomas issued a forceful dissent on Monday after the Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging First Amendment restrictions for protesters outside abortion clinics. Thomas, an appointee of former President George H.

Abortion opponents wanted the Supreme Court to scrap protest restrictions around clinics. Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have taken the case.