Pro-Choice Activists Defend WE Clinic Against "40 Days for Life"

 Every year, abortion opponents hold an event called "40 Days for Life", in which they protest in front of the WE Health Clinic and Duluth Building for Women.  While they mostly just hold signs and pray, they sometimes harass people who are going into the clinic for abortions or birth control.  As a result, it has become just as much an annual tradition for local pro-choice activists to hold count protests.

This year, the “40 Days for Life” event was kicked off at a religious mass held inside the so called “Women’s Care Center” which is located kitty corner across from the Duluth Building for Women (we put “Women’s Care Center” in quotation marks because it is basically a fake clinic, designed to lure pregnant women inside and convince them not to get an abortion).  The religious mass was to be followed by a large anti-choice rally in front of the Building for Women.  However those plans were upended by pro-choice activists getting to the site first, and occupying all of the sidewalk in front of the Building for Women!

The clever pro-choice counter-protest was called “Party in the Plaza”, and it was organized by the WE Health Clinic, UMD Student Advocates for Choice and the HOTDISH Militia.  Starting at 6pm, HOTDISH Militia activist Heather Bradford covered the plaza with reaffirming, pro-choice messages with sidewalk chalk.  Then, starting at 6:30pm, music started playing, and tables were set up with signs and other supplies that activists picked up before taking position in front of the building. 

About three dozen pro-choice activists occupied the sidewalk in front of the Building for Women, all along 1st Street.  When the anti-choicers started coming out of the so called “Women’s Care Center” they were faced with a fait accompli.  After milling about for a bit, debating their options, they had no choice but to stand in front of the empty building across the street, that used to be a home to a liquor store.  Then, with music blasting, the pro-choice activists simply, but powerfully, stood with their signs and waited the anti-choicers out.  None of the pro-choice activists left until the last anti-choicer had gone home.

We salute the WE Health Clinic, UMD Student Advocates for Choice and the HOTDISH Militia for their awesome protest!  The next scheduled pro-choice action is going to be on October 3 at 4pm in front of the Building for Women.  It is being organized by the HOTDISH Militia, and is being held as part of a “national mobilization for reproductive justice” events that are taking place across the country on that day.  We hope to see you all there!

 P.S. The "40 Days for Life" anti-choicers plan on being in front of the WE Health Clinic every day for the next 40 days from 8am to 8pm.  Anyone who wants to show up and do a counter-protest is welcome to do so!  We'll include any additional counter-protests that we hear about on the calendar of our blog, and in our weekly activist calendar ezine.  ~the Northwoods Worker editors