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Monday, August 26, 1991 / University Daily Kansan
Pro-choice forces counter rallies of anti-abortionists
Weekend activities bring out tension between two sides
By Justin Knupp Kansas staff writer
WICHTA — After six weeks of intense demonstrations and protests, there is only one conclusion to the situation in Wichita.
It's not over yet.
On Saturday, thousands of prochoice supporters gathered in Wichita to fight back against an anti-abortion group that began protests six weeks ago.
Yesterday, Wichita police arrested 61 anti-abortion protesters for blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic.
The arrests started a day of rallies and confrontations on behalf of the anti-abortion forces.
Most of these actions occurred when many Wichita residents were hoping the weeks of demonstrations would end.
Debbie Riggs, director of Wichita Family Planning Inc., was pushed and shoved by two protesters near the clinic's rear entrance when she arrived in the morning to open the clinic, said Deputy Chief Steve Trainer of the Wichita police.
"She was physically roughed up, but she was not injured." Trainer said.
Early in the day, police filled two vans with arrested demonstrators. The rest
Brian T. SchoenuKANSAN
men and women to jail, "Robertson said. "These men and women are not criminals and lawbreakers and disobedient to lawful authority."
remained, singing hymns and pray-
ing. On April 20, 200 protesters came to the clinic.
The events Sunday came after a day of pro-choice rallies. In a speech before a crowd of 5,000, Patricia Ireland, president-elect of the National Organization for Women, said that it was time "to go toe-to-toe with these bulles."
Later, thousands of abortion foes nearly filled a stadium on the Wichita River.
*Federal Judge Kelly has sent 2,500
The rally along the Arkansas River lasted nearly two hours, and at one point, the entire crowd became silent when an anti-abortion supporter began yelling at the crowd from across the river bank.
After the rally, many pro-choice supporters moved to the streets to confront a caravan of tractors and farm vehicles bearing signs that read,
Nationality-only evangelist Pat Robertson speaks to about 25,000 anti-abortion protesters in Wichita.
George Tiller, where, for the past six weeks, anti-abortion forces have blocked the entrance and tried to stop people from getting abortions.
"Rural America Speaks out for Life."
Pro-choice supporters waved at passing motorists and carried signs that read, "Honk if you support free speech" and those pro-attorney plyers prayed in front of the clinic.
Six anti-abortion activists engaged the pro-choice supporters in heated conversations while police officers on foot and horseback tried to maintain order.
Saturday evening, pro-choice forces held a candlelight vigil outside Wichita City Hall. As several women made emotional speeches to the crowd, anti-abortion supporters held a rally of their own only a few blocks away
Twice during the course of the morning, police broke up confrontations between people shouting at each other. However, no physically violent incidents occurred, police said.
Many of the different anti-abortion groups in Wichita this week bonded into Hope for the Heartland, a group that wants to continue the protests when the national groups leave.
During the afternoon, the focus of attention shifted to the clinic of Dr.
Wichita native Catherine Setter is a member of the newly formed group.
"We hope that by joining forces, we will be stronger," she said. "One of our goals is to work for legislation prohibiting abortions in Kansas."
Setter said she became active in the anti-abortion cause this year even though she had supported it for sometime.
"I'm 67 years-old, and I got arrested just a few weeks ago," she said. "I was assisting in a rescue at one of the clinics. We stood up and blocked the gates and were arrested."
rescues, in which a person is physically prevented from entering a clinic.
"As far as I know, there are no plans to discontinue the rescue." she said.
However, speakers at the prochoice rallies Saturday promised that as long as the anti-abortion forces continued activity in Wichita, the prochoice forces would continue to oppose them.
The Associated Press contributed information to this story.
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