Anti-Planned Parenthood Protests Nationwide: ‘This Is Only the Beginning’
Kate Scanlon /
CONCORD, N.H. – Protests against Planned Parenthood took place nationwide today in light of three undercover videos released by the Center for Medical Progress showing senior Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale of fetal organs.
The third video, released today, shows Planned Parenthood staffers dissecting the remains of an aborted fetus and discussing the sale of its organs.
Planned Parenthood has denied that its affiliates profit from their “tissue donation” program and has condemned the Center for Medical Progress for using “heavily edited” videos to take Planned Parenthood staffers’ words out of context.
The Center for Medical Progress has also released several videos of its full meetings with the executives.
Students for Life of America organized “Women Betrayed” rallies nationwide to protest taxpayer funding for the nation’s largest abortion provider.
Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life of America, told The Daily Signal that “women across the nation rose up today to say that they deserve better than Planned Parenthood and abortion.”
“In Washington, D.C., alone, over 500 people—including Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, and Dr. Ben Carson—showed up in the blazing heat at the #WomenBetrayed rally to demand Planned Parenthood be defunded immediately and investigated for possible criminal actions. Photos and videos are pouring in to us at Students for Life of America and being posted on social media of the other 65 #WomenBetrayed rallies happening across the country,” Hawkins said.
“The response from the grassroots to defund Planned Parenthood has been truly astounding. But this is only the beginning. SFLA will be building upon these rallies next month, asking participants to visit their congressional representatives and demand they defund the abortion giant immediately. It is our hope that these #WomenBetrayed rallies and the videos from the Center for Medical Progress will mark the beginning of the end of Planned Parenthood and abortion in our nation. Women and their preborn children deserve better than abortion.”
In New Hampshire, protesters gathered on the grounds of the New Hampshire Statehouse to call for Planned Parenthood to be investigated and defunded.
During the rally, former New Hampshire House Speaker William O’Brien said that the average Granite State family has about $150 of its tax money go directly to Planned Parenthood.
“Are there not costs that go beyond taxpayer funds?” O’Brien asked. “Do we not pay with our souls?”
He said the taxpayer should not be complicit in funding illegal activity.
The sale of human organs is a felony in the United States.
#WomenBetrayed rally in Concord, NH pic.twitter.com/K7LBBtoBra
— Kate Scanlon (@scanlon_kate) July 28, 2015
“Dogs for the prevention of cruelty to humans” at #WomenBetrayed in Concord, NH pic.twitter.com/5Qxxh2zqGl — Kate Scanlon (@scanlon_kate) July 28, 2015
#WomenBetrayed pic.twitter.com/R1lAo6PrQO
— Kate Scanlon (@scanlon_kate) July 28, 2015
Part of the crowd at NH #WomenBetrayed pic.twitter.com/KdDHhj1yIO
— Kate Scanlon (@scanlon_kate) July 28, 2015
#WomenBetrayedpic.twitter.com/YWPR2HsOl3 — Kate Scanlon (@scanlon_kate) July 28, 2015
After the Concord rally, Jane Cormier, the president of New Hampshire Right to Life, told The Daily Signal that she wants Planned Parenthood to be investigated and defunded.
“I think that it’s just incredibly sad that we have to have a debate about such a lack of humanity,” Cormier said. “I mean, this should be a line that most of us can meet.”
Cormier said Planned Parenthood denies the humanity of the unborn yet sells their organs.
“So which is it? Are they worth something or are they worth nothing?” Cormier asked.
In addition to the rallies that took place in Concord and the nation’s capital, more than 60 rallies took place nationwide:
Dozens at @PPact rally in #syracuse for the #WomenBetrayed protest pic.twitter.com/VrPol8TQVr
— Alexa Green (@AlexaTWCNews) July 28, 2015
Photos from today’s #WomenBetrayed rally at Planned Parenthood in Indianapolis from our reporter, Natalie Hoefer. pic.twitter.com/FGXEcNkfaZ
— The Criterion (@criteriononline) July 28, 2015
@ProLifeUnion held #WomenBetrayed rally in #philly #prolife #PPSellsBabyParts pic.twitter.com/61XmJ1lH0B
— M.Kelly (@MKelly37) July 28, 2015
The heat hasn’t stopped a huge crowd from coming out to #PlannedParenthood for #WomenBetrayed in #Houston pic.twitter.com/yuhamuIdnd
— Texas Right to Life (@TXRightToLife) July 28, 2015
Students for Life and its supporters rally in front of Planned Parenthood in York @ydrcom #WomenBetrayed pic.twitter.com/HiryEhb384
— Caitlin Kerfin (@ckerfin) July 28, 2015
Rally against barbarism in Chicago. #DefundPP #WomenBetrayed pic.twitter.com/GRlKI8rliY
— Dan Proft (@DanProft) July 28, 2015
#WomenBetrayed #pittsburgh #prolife pic.twitter.com/LC3SFAUKB9
— Emma Lipnicki (@emmaroserita) July 28, 2015
This #prolife Democrat just introduced legislation to #DEFUNDPlannedParenthood – watch his rousing speech here: http://t.co/t5W6KhlSeh
— Ohio Right to Life (@ohiolife) July 28, 2015
“Here in TX we do not need #PlannedParenthood!!!” –@AbbyJohnson at #WomenBetrayed rally in Austin. pic.twitter.com/Hu9AMfNPKB
— TexasAllianceforLife (@TXAlliance4Life) July 28, 2015
Louisiana stands for life. #WomenBetrayed pic.twitter.com/MrHnLokASK
— Speaker For The Dead (@Spkr_4TheDead) July 28, 2015
The rallies and hashtag were met with counter-protesters as well:
About 8 Planned Parenthood supporters facing off against protestors at the #WomenBetrayed pro-life rally in Salt Lake pic.twitter.com/bprIrzbhq9
— Daphne Chen (@DaphneChen_) July 28, 2015
#WomenBetrayed? 3.5 Million birth control education and services provided in ’13 Defunding @PPFA is #TheRealBetrayal http://t.co/WZEtZeS07z
— Elizabeth LaCroix (@befulina) July 28, 2015
Ditching the 97% of what PP does that’s not abortion over other 3% is literally throwing baby out w/ bathwater!#StandwithPP #WomenBetrayed
— Pray Out The Grae (@MrGraembo) July 28, 2015