Story URL: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=140499
Story Retrieval Date: 2/9/2010 7:44:51 PM CST
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city hall committe visitors

Jessica Binsch/MEDILL

Anti-abortion activists Catherine Mieding, Joe Scheidler and Corrina Gura (from left) from the Pro-Life Action League listen to testimony at the Human Relations committee meeting on Wednesday.


Committee votes to limit protests at health clinics

by Jessica Binsch
Sep 30, 2009


An amendment to a Chicago ordinance that would restrict the access of protestors to health clinics passed the Human Relations committee Wednesday. The vote came over objections from anti-abortion activists.

Introduced by Ald. Vi Daley (43rd), the amendment would expand a city ordinance to create a 50-feet radius around the entrances to health clinics. Within that area, protestors would not be allowed to come closer than eight feet to a person entering the clinic.

The amendment will be submitted to the City Council at its next meeting on Oct. 7.

Thought the amendment doesn’t cite specific groups, virtually all of those speaking for or against it at the committe meeting referred to abortion services. 

“It is an anti-life law, pure and simple,” said Catherine Mieding, a volunteer at the Pro-Life Action League. She has been involved in anti-abortion protests at the Albany Medical Surgical Center on North Elston Avenue for 15 years.

Beth Kanter, vice president of external affairs at Planned Parenthood in Illinois, said protests at the group’s Near North Health Center have increased in recent months. She called the situation at the clinic at Divison and LaSalle streets a public safety issue.

“Our patients, our volunteers and our staff need to be able to have access to health care services without fear of harassment of intimidation,” she said. “There are so many protestors lining the sidewalks that people have a hard time getting to our front doors.”

Planned Parenthood staff approached Ald. Daley, who spoke with local police. According to one of her aides, the alderman introduced legislation to give police stronger enforcement power.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union in Illinois is concerned that the proposed amendment limits free speech, according to Leah Bartelt, an ACLU lawyer.

“People who seek to engage in lawful First Amendment activity are unable to do so because they are forced back eight feet," Bartelt said.