Pro-choice activists are calling for a rally at an Akron abortion clinic this weekend. Earlier this month, weekly protests turned violent when a volatile and colorful crowd clashed just outside downtown, at the Akron Women’s Medical Group.
July was a busy month. Regular attendees say the anti-abortion side has been unusually rambunctious and aggressive since the May assassination of Kansas late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller. And the usual screaming suburbanites were joined by Jericho Riders Motorcycle Ministry, a Missouri-based Christian motorcycle group. The Jericho Riders had the clinic on their schedule of missions for the month (in addition to gay pride events from Missouri to Las Vegas).
The pro-choice counter-demonstartors were outnumbered. Charles Wright, 50, a former vice-president of Akron’s National Organization for Women, was one of them on Saturday, July 18. He didn’t want to be there. But his longtime partner, Thomas Reke, is friends with people who work the pro-choice side. Reke knew numbers were down. He was afraid somebody could get hurt. He was right.
Witnesses say that when screaming lead to face-to-face confrontation, a biker hit Wright with a crushing blow that sent him crashing to the sidewalk, breaking six ribs. As the crowd backed away from the fallen protester, the biker rode off on his motorcycle, barely stopping to let his companion climb aboard.
Jericho Riders president Jim Carroll (pictured) says the man that hit Wright wasn’t a member of his group, and claims the blow wasn’t an assault.
“The man that attacked Charles was first assaulted and provoked by Charles, according to witnesses,” says Carroll. “The individual that was involved in this incident is in no way associated with or a member of the Jericho Riders. That type of behavior would not be tolerated from anyone in this ministry. We do however have video of one of our members rendering aid to the man that was injured.… Mike Tice, one of the Jericho Riders rendering aid to Charles was assault by a woman… who is employed by the abortion mill. We do have a video of this assault, and charges will be filed.”
Akron Police are treating the incident as an assault against Wright, which — as opposed to a felonious assault — doesn’t warrant active investigation. No arrest has been made.
Wright and Reke skipped the following weekend’s protest. They’re unsure when or if they’ll return. Their friend Lee Thompson, a Clevelander, hopes Wright didn’t take a beating in vain. Thompson, a former clinic escort, is calling for extra support at the Akron clinic (839 E. Market St.) this Saturday, August 1.
“Charles could have been killed,” says Thompson. “People in Akron really need the support of people from all over Northeast Ohio. This kind of attack really scares people. There is a whole fascist movement in this country to kill and intimidate people who support women. Our message is ‘Abortion on demand, without apology.’ And we will not accept a situation where women will be intimidated.” — D.X. Ferris
This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 4, 2009.
Glad this article came out about the anti-choice extremists, especially the vocal & agressive group, Jericho Riders, as they try to intimidate & harass pro-choice escorts gay or straight. Support women & their right to choose, be pro-choice!
Can’t the semantics at least be stopped. It isn’t “pro-choice”, it is pro death. And it isn’t “Anti-abortion”, it is pro-life.
Where is “truth in reporting”? Why do you hate the unborn?
No one has the right to kill another. It is an ignorant view to hold, but that is why there is no reasoning with the pro-death crowd-they are ignorant.
“Pro-life” encompasses so many issues that it’s unlikely a person would be “pro” on all of them. That’s why it’s clearer to identify the particular issue. Are many anti-abortionists also anti-pollution and anti-death penalty? Both issues are definitely “pro-life”.
But aside from that, I understand you’re irritated by the words used. I’m irritated by people who refuse to acknowledge that caring, intelligent people can have a different point of view. Not everyone believes in your bible or even interprets it the same way.
UzeUrBrain has a point, the anti’s should be against the death penalty too but they’re not. My question to looktothebible is why do you hate women? Trust women, we know what we’re doing & it’s ok to have an abortion w/o harassment from groups like the JRMM.
yes, let’s look to the bible:
http://www.fallwell.com/selective%20quotat…
FL, good link. By the way, LOVE the title of your article! 🙂
These babykilling pro-aborts need to be stopped. They are no different than Nazis. It is obvious they will physically attack any pro-lifer they don’t like.
Anti-choice revspitz has it wrong. It’s the anti-choicers that have attacked women & killed Dr. Tiller. Luckily law enforcement at all levels is aware of their activities & are pursuing many leads, so keep posting anti…
I’m going to demonstrate for abortion rights this Saturday in Akron.
Here’s something to think about:
“When it comes to abortion, there is ONLY ONE moral question: Will women be fully emancipated human beings in control of their lives and reproduction OR will we be forced to submit to patriarchal male authority and to breed against our will? A woman who cannot decide for herself, without any shame, judgment or restrictions, when and whether she chooses to have a child, has no more freedom than a slave. The movement to forcibly deny women the right to abortion and to birth control is a movement to enslave women. With its aims, its methods, and its morality, there can be no compromise.”
quote from Sunsara Taylor http://www.sunsara.blogspot.com/
Thank you Lee. We’re pro-choice & here for the women. The anti’s only care about a blob of tissue & controlling women’s bodies like their property. Women belong to themselves & can do what they feel is best for their own body, period.
Just wanted to say thank you Cleveland Scene for running our story first! There’s another nice article in today’s Akron Beacon Journal, 8/1 about what we’ve been facing at the clinic.
What a ridiculously biased article. But let me say this. If it’s the woman’s “choice” to kill a baby; then it was that biker’s “choice” to beat up that idiot. What’s the matter? Not pro-choice anymore?