Supporters face off outside of Phoenix Planned Parenthood office from The State Press on Vimeo.
Hundreds of pro-choice activists stood outside the Phoenix Planned Parenthood office Saturday morning while opponents of Planned Parenthood carried signs that read "Babies are Murdered Here," "We Will Adopt Your Baby!" and "Defend Life."
Several months ago, The Center for Medical Progress released its first video outing Planned Parenthood, an organization which offers a variety of women's health services, for profiting off the sale of fetal tissue. The Center for Medical Progress released it’s eighth video on Friday unveiling Planned Parenthood’s illegal activities as another part of it's Human Capital Project.
Since the release of the Human Capital series, many Republican lawmakers and presidential candidates like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Kentucky Rep. Rand Paul, have made defunding Planned Parenthood a central initiative. August 22 has been dubbed a national day of action against Planned Parenthood.
The #ProtestPP website states their goal is to "raise awareness of the heartless and even illegal activities of Planned Parenthood." They go on to say that "creating a presence at neighborhood Planned Parenthood facilities is essential to inform the public about what is going on behind closed doors."
Protestor Marcus Pittman, 30, said that Planned Parenthood is responsible for the "most murderous regimes." Pittman, along with a few other pro-life advocates, created a film called "Babies Are Murdered Here" that examines "the truth" behind abortions.
Supporters of the organization congregated in the parking lot underneath Planned Parenthood's Phoenix facility. Many were decked out in pink attire. Supporters signs read, "Keep Abortion Legal," "Real Sex Ed Saves Lives" and "Don't Take Away Our Care." The pro-choice activists were also able to write positive notes to the workers of Planned Parenthood at a table in the area.
Supporters of PP now forming a circle around the Phx pp office @statepress pic.twitter.com/We99xIN6Rm
— Allie Bice (@alliebice) August 22, 2015
The rally for Planned Parenthood advocates included myriad speakers. One of them, Cathy Hozian, 56, whose sister almost died from a butchered abortion. Hozian described Planned Parenthood as a "non-discriminating and compassionate" agency with "affordable and necessary services."
Other speakers of the rally consisted of Sen. Katie Hobbs, (D-Phoenix), Rep. Andrew Sherwood, (D-Tempe) and the President of Planned Parenthood Arizona, Brian Howard. Former Arizona Senate minority leader and Tempe City Councilmember David Schapira also spoke at the rally.
"When I've come to Planned Parenthood... one thing I would see is people... throwing rocks at women who were coming to get medical treatment, who were coming just to get contraception, who were coming to get healthcare," Schapira said.
The rally ended with a speech from Chairman of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Joel Feinman. Feinman told the crowd that he had been volunteering for the organization since he was 12-years-old. He described Planned Parenthood as an agency that is "loving and supporting."
Feinman concluded the rally by responding to a Planned Parenthood protestor who inquired about why he held an American flag throughout the duration of the simultaneous protests.
"He (the protestor) said, 'Why do you hold up the flag? Is there something you are ashamed of?' and the answer my friend, is not that we are ashamed. It's that what we represent is the very best of the United States of America," Feinman said.
Reach the reporter at ambice@asu.edu or follow @alliebice on Twitter.
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