Contact: Kim Gasper Rabuck, International Socialist Organization, 608-957-2087

The Madison branch of the International Socialist Organization, the Madison chapter of the National Organization for Women, Socialist Alternative, and organizers of the Women’s March on Madison have called a defense of the Planned Parenthood Clinic on Orin road in Madison for Saturday, February 11th at 9 am. The defense has been organized in response to a national day of action to call for the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Anti-choice protesters have made plans to demonstrate at hundreds of Planned Parenthood clinics in 44 states on Saturday.

The aforementioned groups reject any effort to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides needed healthcare, including abortion services, at affordable rates. They play an important role in keeping our community healthy and safe. We call for more funding for the types of free and affordable healthcare they provide, not less.

Furthermore, we are vehemently opposed to the presence of anti-choice protesters at abortion clinics. We believe that the intimidation and harassment of patients is a despicable tactic and we are especially concerned by the presence of so-called anti-choice “activists” given their movement’s history of violence and domestic terrorism. A healthcare clinic is an inappropriate site for their political protest. If they are going to be present, then we feel it is necessary to also organize a visible pro-choice presence to counter their message and keep their conduct in check.

We call on supporters of Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights to join us in countering this anti-choice demonstration and defending the clinic from bigotry and hate.

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