From: judi@wam.umd.edu (Jay T Stein -- pro-whatever)
Subject: Something for Everyone, Something for No One: Report from Washington
Originator: judi@rac1.wam.umd.edu
Organization: Washington Area CLinic Defense Task Force, Washington, D.C.
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 14:14:40 GMT

Well, O.R. has left D.C. and I thought the readership might be interested
in some details of what happened while they were here.

THURSDAY
========

O.R. blockaded one clinic in Southeast D.C.  They had 50 or so people,
about 15 of them outside the back door.  Arrests were fairly quick
and access was restored about one hour after the normal opening time
of the clinic.  All patients who said they needed to get in or asked
for escorts were seen.  Violence and confrontation from O.R. was
minimal - they were noticeably less vocal than normal in calling out
to patients.

FRIDAY
======

Though a blockade was originally annouced for Friday, nothing happened.
All clinics operated normally.

SATURDAY
========

Hoo boy.  Major chaos.  Three clinics were blockaded:

* Hillcrest Surgi Center, SE DC

All three doors of the clinic were blockaded, and there was evidence that
the people involved had been there all night.  O.R.'s "Resistance" affiliate
brought in two cars to the parking lot, placing one by each of two doors.
They had created specially designed metal contraptions which they locked
themselves to inside the car.  Others sat outside the car, not chained to
anything but making it impossible to see how complex the locks were inside
the car.  The second car was similarly outfitted by the clinic's side door.
The final touch was a man chained between the door and the chassis of the
first car.  Neither vehicle was driveable, which means they had been towed
in.

After towing the cars in, Resistance then turned over a dumpster and
pushed it into the driveway.

The front door was blockaded by 20 or so people.  The setup was, frankly,
ingenius.  They had two large metal contraptions, which they bolted to
the door and to which three(?) people were locked.  They were then covered
with blankets, and additional people packed on top of and around them.
Again, it was impossible to tell how complex the situation was until after
the top layer of people had been arrested, and the blankets were pulled
away.

My description, "large metal contraptions" above comes from my inability
to come up with a name for them.  The common theme through all of them was
large, confusing and heavy, with metal piping welded to them.  The thing
at the front door consisted of a 5-foot section of railroad track with
piping attached.  In all cases, O.R. had locked themselves together
inside the pipes, and then sealed the pipe.  The railroad-track thing
was 500 pounds, and they had two of them.  There was unquestionably
professional welding and metalworking involved.

I heard rumors that two Resistance people suffered broken arms while
being cut loose.  In my opinion, this is a risk one takes when one
locks oneself awkwardly and irreversibly to a 500-pound object.

The police took 2 1/2 hours to clear away the blockaders.  However,
since they started at 5:45, arrests were completed by 8:30 and the
clinic was opened at 8:40.  Patients waited in cars or came back after
8:40, and all who wanted to get access were seen.

* Planned Parenthood, NW DC

I was not at this clinic so am relying on second hand reports.  Well over
100 arrests were made here, but in contrast to D.C. there was no advance
material preperation (!) so arrests were fairly speedy.  The clinic opened
by 8:45 and all patients were seen.

* Hillcrest Women's Clinic, NW DC

The most chaos.  The most uncooperative police.  O.R./Resistance blockaded
at 7:30, and it was more than four hours before arrests were complete.
During the slow arrest period, police would not acknowledge that escorts
were there on behalf of and by the request of the clinic, and refused to
allow escorts to take patients through the police line.  The scene was
very chaotic and several patients were scared off.  Most of the others got
in, evetually.

VIOLENCE and CONFRONTATION
==========================

On Thursday, O.R. was surprisingly calm.  Not so for a certain group of
clinic defenders who saw fit to come to DC to "help."  This organization
is NWROC, pronounced N-Rock, and stands for National Women's Rights
Organizing Coalition.  To me the initials stand for Nasty Wretched
Rude Obnoxious Children.  If any escorts/defenders hear word of NWROC
coming to your city, I would strongly recommend warning the police
ahead of time.  On Thursday several of them assaulted O.R. members,
including several children.  Another was heard to say, "F*** the patients.
We don't care about them."  Another said that it doesn't matter what
the abortion providers want or even that they invite defenders.  Still
another called an escort a "bitch" and warned her to stay away.  This
is a group that has obstructed meetings of feminists and providers all
over the country, at one point criticizing a doctor for not providing
free abortions.  In summary, this group is so radical that even the
ultra-left Refuse and Resist refuses to work with them.

On Saturday, things were substantially more heated.  NWROC was out in
force at Planned Parenthood and Hillcrest NW.  At Hillcrest SE, on the
other hand, NWROC had no precense, but O.R./Resistance was in rare form.
One woman found out a patient's name and for ten straight minutes shouted
at her through the fence: "Kim, please don't kill your baby.  Kim, can't
you hear your baby talking to you?  He's saying, `Mommy, I'm scared.  They
don't love me here.  Please leave!'  Kim, please come talk to us!  Kim,
..." and on and on for ten minutes.

Meanwhile NBC attempted to broadcast live from the scene.  Trying to show
both sides, the reporter decided to do two live segments, first with O.R.
and then with WACDTF.  We were quiet during their time on the air.  During
the interview with WACDTF, though, one gentleman couldn't refrain from
waving a bible (literally) and shouting, "JESUS CHRIST!  JESUS CHRIST!"
at the top of his voice.  He got into an argument with the reporter, camera
operator, *and* truck technician.  The "bible waver" was quite a sight -
preaching love while screaming and showing what I thought was pretty
obvious and intense anger.  To describe him cannot do him justice - one
must watch the videotape, which fortunately I thought to make.

A second "witness" took to screaming as well, though he didn't have a
bible to display.  At one point he said, "I believe in a woman's freedom
of choice, and her choice is when she spreads her legs."  I was fortunate
to overhear it with my camera, but when I pointed the camera at him and
asked him to repeat it, he would not.

I would very much like to share my tape with people on t.a, on both sides
of this debate.  Email me if you're interested.  I am especially interested
in Suzanne Forgach and Peter Nyikos seeing it, and commenting on the
Christian nature of the "witnesses."
--
     _____     __      __               -=* Jay T Stein *=-
   |   |      |  \    /        
   |   |  in  |   |  |               Internet: judi@wam.umd.edu
|__|   |      |__/    \__               GEnie: J.STEIN18

But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman.
Newsgroups: talk.abortion