Candlelight vigil outside Planned Parenthood in Bakersfield, CA [Photo courtesy of Marina Audelo]
A recent article at Bustle — a website that is no friend to the pro-life movement — opened with this:
In the lead up to Planned Parenthood’s 100th anniversary on Sunday, there was an astonishingly organized protest movement ready to make sure that the women’s health organization couldn’t enjoy its special day without a reminder that a healthy chunk of people would love to see it completely dismantled.
The article was about the nationwide network of prayer vigils organized this past weekend by the #ProtestPP coalition led by the Pro-Life Action League along with our friends at Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and Created Equal.
Thousands of pro-lifers took part in a Jericho March, prayer vigil, or other event at over 120 Planned Parenthood locations across the nation. Pro-Life Action League director Eric Scheidler spoke at two of these events: a candlelight vigil outside the Planned Parenthood mega-center in Aurora, Illinois and earlier in a the day at a prayer vigil outside the Planned Parenthood in Silver Spring, Maryland, after having just completed a speaking tour in the Baltimore area sponsored by Defend Life. Scheidler was also interviewed by the Washington Times for an article on Planned Parenthood’s 100th anniversary.
Without question, these events have an impact. In El Cajon, California, Planned Parenthood officials opted to close for the entire day on Saturday — often the busiest day of the week — while pro-lifers were outside praying! In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a woman identifying herself as a former Planned Parenthood manager drove by the assembled pro-lifers and encouraged them to keep up their witness.
And in Salt Lake City, Pro-Life Utah took a unique approach and organized a “service vigil” that received great coverage from the local ABC affiliate. Events in Worcester, Massachusetts and Meridian, Idaho also garnered local media coverage.
Prayer vigil held outside IPPF headquarters in London, England [Photo courtesy of Joe Clovis]
A prayer vigil was also held outside the International Planned Parenthood Federation headquarters in London, England, making this national event into an international event.
Want to See More Photos?
- View a Flickr set of photos from several prayer vigils here.
