Anti-abortion protesters draw ire Police received several...

Anti-abortion protesters draw ire

Police received several phone calls on Wednesday from angry

drivers and pedestrians saying a group of about 20 young men and

women were displaying huge posters of aborted fetuses to passing cars

in front of Main Beach at around 5 p.m.

Callers complained that traffic was so slow that you couldn’t

avoid looking at the large, graphic depictions of real abortions.

More than one caller said their children had seen the posters and

asked questions about what they were. Dispatch had to repeatedly

inform callers that the police could do nothing about it because of

free speech laws.

“For the past three years, anti-abortion protesters have been

coming down, but usually on the weekends,” Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

“We never know when they’re going to show up. We’ve issued citations

in the past if they chalk up sidewalks or get in physical

confrontations with pedestrians, but other than that, there’s nothing

we can do.”

The protesters reportedly displayed posters and handed out

anti-abortion brochures, but weren’t making much noise.

“We’ve begged them to let us know when they’re coming because it

always causes headaches,” Kravetz said. “We need guys there just in

case a fight breaks out. It’s technically a peaceful demonstration,

but the subject matter [angers] a lot of people.”

The protesters were reportedly out-of-towners, from cities such as

Banning, Crestline, Lake Arrowhead and Riverside.

“I’m sure they’ll be back,” Kravetz said. “And I’m sure they won’t

tell us when.”

-- Mike Swanson