Abortion Anniversary: Clinics Tighten Security

Officials at family-planning clinics in Southern California tightened security Saturday to counter possible violence marking the 12th anniversary on Tuesday of the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, while anti-abortionists held marches and rallies to protest the high court’s ruling.

At the Feminist Women’s Health Center in Santa Ana, where an increasing number of anti-abortionists have picketed twice a week for the past three years, clinic directors said 11 people volunteered Saturday to join a force of 50 escorts who protect incoming clinic patients from harassment by protesters and keep a round-the-clock security vigil at the small clinic.

“We really don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Rosalie Abrams, a founding member of the Orange County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and a volunteer at the center. “There’s always a certain amount of tension. We check on everybody that comes by, but we never know.”

The nearby Orange County Planned Parenthood clinic in Santa Ana was firebombed a few days before Christmas, and officials at the Feminist Women’s Health Clinic said their facility has received threats and is raising money for a security alarm system.

Most of the 25 volunteers patrolling the feminist health clinic’s front and rear parking lots said they were not afraid of the possibility of violence, even though federal officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had warned that such clinics may be the target of attacks this weekend.

“I think there’s less chance for violence if there’s enough of us here to show support,” said one pro-choice volunteer who asked not to be named.

Meanwhile, about 500 people--many of them carrying picket signs and wearing black arm bands--turned out at a midday “Rally for Life” in the Santa Ana Civic Plaza of the Flags to protest the Supreme Court ruling of Jan. 22, 1973.

Speeches by Legislators

The court’s decision gave women the right to choose abortion during the first six months of pregnancy and struck down anti-abortion laws in 43 states.

The almost exclusively anti-abortion crowd in Santa Ana listened to speeches by anti-abortion activists and politicians, including state Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) and Assemblyman Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach).

Several of the speakers borrowed from Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech, likening the anti-abortion movement to the civil rights movement of the 1960s and to the Holocaust.

“We shall overcome,” said Dr. George Wood of the Newport-Mesa Christian Center. “The same thing that happened with the civil rights movement is going to happen in the human rights movement.”

Senior citizens, parents pushing strollers and youths--including troops of green-uniformed Girl Scouts--browsed through several booths, where bumper stickers (“Equal Rights for Unborn Women”) and literature such as an anti-abortion book written by Ronald Reagan were available for donations to various anti-abortion organizations.

No Gas Cans or Bombs

“You’ll notice there isn’t anybody with gas cans or bombs running around here,” Ken Hall, vice president of the Christian Action Council’s Orange County chapter said, referring to the recent bombings by self-described anti-abortionists at Planned Parenthood offices around the nation.

About 30 placard-bearing protesters from the rally arrived at the Feminist Women’s Health Center in Santa Ana in the early afternoon, and although clinic officials said the number of protesters was slightly higher than usual, the pickets marched peaceably for several hours before leaving.

On Tuesday, the National Organization for Women will hold a pro-choice march and vigil at the Santa Ana Civic Center at 5:30 p.m. in “memory of women who’ve died from illegal abortions,” said Wendy Lozano, coordinator of South Coast NOW.

A “March for Life” will be sponsored by Pro-Life of Orange County at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday outside the West Orange County Municipal Court in Westminster. The march will begin at the corner of Beach and Westminster boulevards, near the courthouse. A rally will follow at noon.

The vigils by pro-choice groups at the clinics in both Santa Ana and Hollywood will continue through Wednesday.