Anti-abortion protesters flooded the street outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in response to Democratic state Rep. Brian Sims filming himself harassing female protesters and asking people to dox them.
CBS 3 reported at least 1,000 people attended Friday’s rally, where speakers included The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, LiveAction President Lila Rose, and Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director who later became an anti-abortion activist.
A young African-American woman speaker from the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia: “Real racism is telling black and brown women that they have to choose between their dreams and the lives of their babies.”
— Alexandra DeSanctis (@xan_desanctis) May 10, 2019
@AbbyJohnson was awesome today and the whole event was powerful!#ProLifePhilly #ProLife pic.twitter.com/Iwp5MUCGLa
— Guy Beaumont (@GuyBeaumont) May 10, 2019
.@LilaGraceRose , pro life advocate speaks to crowd https://t.co/8407sLlPYa
— Greg Argos (@GregArgosCBS3) May 10, 2019
The rally was also to call for Sims to resign.
“PROTEST THE PROTESTERS! Push back against Planned Parenthood protestors, PLEASE! They prey on young women, they use white privilege, & shame. They’re racist, classist, bigots who NEED & DESERVE our righteous opposition. Push back, please,” Sims had posted along with the video that ignited the controversy.
Sims defended himself after posting videos offering to pay money to people who identify anti-abortion protesters and shaming another as an “old white lady,” but said he could do better.
“I’ve have seen firsthand the insults, the slurs, the attacks, and the racism that those protesters aim at mostly young girls going for clinical care … what I should’ve shown you in that video was protesters pray at, not to silently pray for, people coming in and out of Planned Parenthood,” Sims said, later admitting he was too aggressive with the elderly woman.
