A Wilkes-Barre arena's ban on profanity and voice amplification in its public spaces are unreasonable restrictions on free speech, a federal appeals court has ruled.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Monday upheld a district court's ruling in favor of an animal rights group that demonstrated within the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre.

However, the appeals court also held that the group's rights were not undermined when it was barred from protesting in the arena's concourse, a narrow space reserved for pedestrians.