{"id":257882,"date":"2021-11-25T11:42:33","date_gmt":"2021-11-25T17:42:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=257882"},"modified":"2021-11-24T23:56:33","modified_gmt":"2021-11-25T05:56:33","slug":"pro-lifers-accusations-california-local-buffer-zone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/pro-lifers-accusations-california-local-buffer-zone\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-lifers claim accusations prompting local California buffer zone ordinance are false"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The City Council of Walnut Creek, California, is considering enacting a buffer zone ordinance around that city\u2019s Planned Parenthood \u201cto address concerns related to patient access of the … facility,\u201d according to the city attorney\u2019s <\/span>Agenda Report<\/span><\/a> on the issue. The exact details of the proposed buffer zone are yet to be determined.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Agenda Report cites several alleged reasons why such an ordinance is potentially necessary, primarily: \u201cprotest[e]rs\u2019 aggressive behavior, the parking lot being blocked, patients and staff being photographed or filmed by protest[e]rs, and being harassed by protest[e]rs upon entering or exiting the facility.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But are pro-life sidewalk advocates and those who gather to pray actually guilty?<\/span><\/p>\n

The report cites only three specific incidents of alleged misconduct:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On March 13, 2020, a protest[e]r was arrested after confronting and yelling at employees, volunteers and patient family members inside of the Planned Parenthood. Also, on October 13, 2020, private security guards hired by 40 Days for Life pepper sprayed protest[e]rs amidst a disturbance \u2026 On June 1, 2021, pro-life protest[e]rs were filming a male and female attempting to enter Planned Parenthood, protest[e]rs called the couple obscene names and a physical altercation ensued between the male and two protest[e]rs.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

According to Don Blythe from <\/span>At the Well Ministries<\/span><\/a>, who was present at Planned Parenthood on March 13, it is true that one of the pro-lifers behaved inappropriately by going into the facility and speaking harshly to the people inside. However, according to Blythe, this man was not a vetted member of any of the established teams who gather there. Blythe says the sidewalk advocates present that day apologized for the man\u2019s behavior, attempted to explain that they did not endorse his tactics and that his behavior was not representative of their respective groups, and assured facility security that the man would not be allowed back \u2014 a promise which has been kept.<\/span><\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0Two women suffer medical emergencies within a week at California<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The October 13 incident, similarly, is true \u2014 private security guards hired by 40 Days for Life did use pepper spray against four pro-abortion counter-protesters who were causing a disturbance. It should be noted, however, that this action was not provoked or performed by the sidewalk advocates themselves, but rather by the guards, who acted on their own.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which begs the question: why were the guards there? For what reason did 40 Days for Life feel it was necessary to hire security?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Incidents like the one on June 1 \u2014 also cited in the city attorney\u2019s report, but not accurately described, according to witness Sophia Gavino \u2014 shed light on the answer. Gavino, who provided limited <\/span>video<\/span><\/a> of the altercation, says one of the members of her team \u201ckindly and respectfully called out to [the woman of the couple in question] to say \u2018we have resources to help you.\u2019\u201d He did <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> call anyone \u201cobscene names,\u201d as alleged. At that point, she said:<\/span><\/p>\n

[The woman\u2019s] husband got out of the car, yelling and irate. He wanted to know who was talking to his wife. When our team member said \u201cthat was me, sir\u201d the man was 2 inches from [the advocate\u2019s] face, screaming at him. \u2026 Some of the other men from a different pro-life group came to try and protect our team member. When the irate husband saw a [camera] on one pro-lifer\u2019s chest, he ripped it off, threw it across the parking lot, and then physically assaulted the man.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Why do the sidewalk advocates carry cameras and take videos? Perhaps because they are routinely subjected to behavior like <\/span>this<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n