Live
Audio Only
While anti-choice protestors were revving up to demonstrate at Planned Parenthood clinics throughout the United States Saturday, pro-choice activists beat them at their own game: the organization's supporters outnumbered those calling to defund it.
RELATED:
Planned Parenthood Defenders Protest Pro-Abortionists Across US
With anti-abortion groups expecting protests at up to 225 clinics, Planned Parenthood supporters organized 150 protests of their own at parks, government buildings and other sites, including clinics. Throughout the country, the counter-demonstrations saw larger crowds than the original ones.
In St. Paul, Minnesota, while the anti-choice camp saw 500 people in attendance, the counter-protesters numbered about 5,000 to 5,500.
In New York, the contrast was even more stark. While a couple dozen demonstrated against funding Planned Parenthood, hundreds came out in support of the health provider. In fact, counter-demonstrators showed up in attendance well before the anti-choicers did.
Treasa Dalton, vice president of Pro-Life Future NYC and a co-organizer of Saturday's protest in New York told Mic the "protest PP nationwide initiative" was a “grassroots effort.”
"Over the last year, we've seen several representatives promise that they would defund Planned Parenthood," Dalton said. "So what we're doing now is standing together as a pro-life movement across the nation to let these representatives know that we're still here, we want Planned Parenthood to be defunded, we want those tax dollars to be redirected to other federally qualified health centers that provide a broader range of women's health care services."
President Donald Trump has pledged to defund Planned Parenthood, and at least 14 states have tried to pass legislation or taken administrative action to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving Title X funding — a federal grant program that supports family planning and preventative health services.
RELATED:
New Arkansas Anti-Choice Law Allows Rapists to Veto Abortions
However, those in support of the clinic and reproductive rights in general are inspired by the movement’s energy.
"It's so beautiful because people need to know — they need to see and feel the energy, right," Marcella Tillett, vice president of Planned Parenthood's Project Street Beat, told Mic after the rally in New York.
"You know that people are supporting you, you know that there are plenty of Americans and plenty of people in this country who don't support the Muslim ban, who don't support shutting down Planned Parenthood … but you need to be in the midst of it and you need to know that you are in a community of people who are really energized about fighting back to feel that internally. Rallies like this do that."
Newsletter
