Hudson Valley residents gather for Defend Planned Parenthood: A Counter-Protest
As thousands of pro-life activists got together to protest Planned Parenthood at locations around the U.S. on Saturday, counter-protests organized by pro-choice supporters flocked to demonstrate their own beliefs.
Amassed in front of the Planned Parenthood location on Church Street in Poughkeepsie, each regional protest group claimed its own side of the busy road, which remained open to traffic. Some motorists honked their horns in support of the nonprofit organization while others shouted in dissent.
Outnumbering the protesters, counter-protesters — attending an event called Defend Planed Parenthood: A Counter-Protest” on social media — held up pink “I Stand With Planned Parenthood” signs (in addition to their own custom-made ones) and some wore clothing that featured the organization’s logo in a show of support. Tin Horn Uprising, an activist marching band in the Hudson Valley, played tunes to which they sang in support of Planned Parenthood.
Joel Oppenheimer, a counter-protester who was vocal in directing the counter-protest down Church Street, spoke about how Planned Parenthood is about more than just abortions.
“I’m here to support PP, a wonderful organization that is actually spearheading transgender health services in the Mid-Hudson Valley,” Oppenheimer said. “That’s something that rarely gets talked about in terms of PP, in terms of really affirming care for the LGBTQ+ community and the transgender and gender-nonconforming community.”
Oppenheimer further explained that he was there to support several different groups.
“I’m also here to support women’s rights, women’s healthcare and to really make it be known that this is a very, very important service that is provided to women and low-income individuals all across the country.”
Some activists expressed more of a personal connection that brought them to the counter-protest.
“I’m here to support healthcare and abortion for my daughters and stepdaughters,” Eric Wedaa said. “Also for the family planning services and women’s health services that these guys (Planned Parenthood protesters) are trying to shut down.”
“In my own life, the first time I went to a health service, for OB/GYN, was Planned Parenthood growing up in Virginia,” Lidia Murdoch said. “I was thankful it was there.”
The scene was peaceful, though there was some banter between the two groups. When a pro-choice woman held up a religious-affiliated sign in opposition to Planned Parenthood, a counter-protester yelled across the street to her, “I pray for you! You should be over here, you have a vagina!”
The Poughkeepsie police were on scene to monitor both the protests and traffic, keeping all involved safe and preventing violence from breaking out. In such a tense political climate, keeping peace at the event was a major success.
