Abortion Foes March On Clinic Both Sides Of Issue Plan Events Sunday For Court Anniversary

Participants in three Spokane rallies Sunday will celebrate or mourn the 24th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion.

For the first time, abortion opponents will march to the Planned Parenthood Clinic at 123 E. Indiana to protest the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision of Jan. 22, 1973. An abortion-rights group is planning a counter-demonstration.

Abortion-rights clergy members will hold a separate service commemorating the decision.

In past years, abortion foes held a prayer walk from Deaconess Medical Center to a rally at the downtown U.S. Court House. Deaconess is the region’s only hospital where abortions are performed.

This year, abortion opponents decided to change their focus to Planned Parenthood, said Jim Anderson, director of Lifeline Ministries.

“We wanted to bring it down home on a local level,” Anderson said. “Yes, Deaconess can fulfill that. But I think to be a little more true in defining it, we needed to deal with Planned Parenthood because the vast majority of abortions are performed there.”

The Court House courtyard is under heavy construction, preventing a rally there.

Abortion opponents will meet at 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the Fourth Memorial Church, 2000 N. Standard. After a short introduction, they’ll march several blocks to Planned Parenthood.

Each participant will be given a carnation to place on a coffin outside of the clinic, symbolizing the abortions performed, Anderson said.

Marchers will then return to the church parking lot to hear speakers and hold a rally.

Across the street from the church parking lot, members of the Washington chapter of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League will begin a vigil at 1:45 p.m.

They will display a chain made of coat hangers, to symbolize the deaths of women when abortion was illegal.

Police plan to be at the antiabortion rally to ensure that the marchers are safe and that private property is protected.

“We’re not expecting any trouble,” said Sgt. Rob Alderson, police special events coordinator, who said he’s talked to both groups.

Planned Parenthood of Spokane and Whitman counties is sponsoring another rally at 2:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1620 N. Monroe.

The service will feature area clergy and several community members sharing personal stories about abortion.

Rally organizers on both sides of the abortion issue said they didn’t expect any violence.

But some people are wary, considering the two bombings of an Atlanta Planned Parenthood clinic on Thursday morning and the bombing last summer of a Spokane Valley Planned Parenthood clinic.

“It would be really nice, especially in light of all the violence, if compassionate, caring people in the community could join together to refuse to accept violence, no matter what their point of view,” said Gayle Ekins, board president of Planned Parenthood.

, DataTimes