EVERETT, Wash. — The City of Everett has taken down barricades aimed at keeping the peace between pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city.
The weekly demonstrations have been going on at the site for over a year, but this spring they started heating up with occasional skirmishes on the sidewalk.
In April, Everett police erected barricades to create a buffer zone intended to keep the sides apart.
That prompted conservative legal group the Thomas More Society to send a letter to Everett's city attorney, telling him the buffer zone violated the First Amendment because pro-life protesters were being kept further away from the facility than the pro-choice side.
A city spokesperson said the buffer zone was always intended to be temporary to protect patients from harassment.
"After a month without any additional concerns, the police department concluded the risk to public safety was minimal and removed the temporary restrictions with the belief individuals could avoid conflict without barriers or designated protest areas," the spokesperson said.
The Thomas More Society has been fighting similar battles across the country. Attorney Matt Heffron said the reason for the city's action was clear.
"They did the right thing, otherwise we would have sued them. We were preparing a lawsuit the day the city took down the barriers. We would have won the lawsuit, without a doubt, and the city would've had to pay our legal fees."
Heffron estimated those fees to be somewhere around $500,000.
Washington has a law on the books that makes it illegal to interfere with access at a health care facility or disrupt its normal functioning.
Peacefully demonstrating in front of an abortion clinic is protected under the First Amendment.
Some of the anti-abortion protesters call themselves "sidewalk counselors" and will approach women walking into a clinic to offer information about adoption. Some carry signs with grotesque images of fetuses. Others hold cardboard placards calling abortion "murder."
Abortion rights supporters will escort women to and from a clinic if needed, and have been accused of hurling profanities at their counterparts.
On Wednesday, four Everett police cruisers remained at the protest scene until all of the demonstrators had left. Despite their presence there were a few minor scuffles with people pushing and shoving.
Both sides are deeply entrenched philosophically, and not willing to give an inch physically.
"There's no talking with them. It's just awful," said pro-life advocate Cheryl Delhagen.
"How do you respect someone who wants to take away rights from other people?" Asked choice supporter, Janean Desmarais.
Both pro-choice and pro-life supporters said the demonstrations will continue for the foreseeable future.