BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A legal battle heats up between the city of Baltimore and pro-life pregnancy centers.  An ordinance requiring the centers to post signs stating they don't provide abortions or birth control was struck down. 

Mary Bubala reports now the city is fighting back.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Center for Pregnancy Concerns sued the city to get that sign removed from its walls.  A judge agreed, striking down a city ordinance forcing the centers to post the signs.  In the lawsuit, the Archdiocese argued the "ordinance violates the center's constitutional rights to free speech and exercise of religion."

Monday, the executive director of the pro-life pregnancy center said the signs have come down.

"It impugned our integrity.  It was a nuisance.  It was completely unfair and, as it turns out...unconstitutional," said Carol Clews.

The city of Baltimore is appealing the court ruling with the Center for Reproductive Rights.  In a statement, the CRR says, "We plan to immediately appeal today's court's decision and we are confident we will prevail.  Baltimore's ordinance is a common sense measure designed to protect consumers from a long-standing and documented pattern of deceptive practices by crisis pregnancy centers."

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was the lead sponsor of the ordinance when she was City Council president.  When the bill passed last November, she called it a victory for women's well-being.

"We have information that many of these centers were giving misleading information," she said.

"We have never hidden the fact that we're pro-life," Clews said.  "We are here to provide services to women who are facing unplanned pregnancies."

The city has filed its appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.