LifeNews.com - The news source for the pro-life community.

March For Abortion Attracts Lower Numbers Than Expected

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 25, 2004

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Though organizers expected as many as one million people in Washington today to march in support of abortion, police estimated that only a quarter of that number actually attended the pro-abortion rally. While media outlets varied in their description of the numbers, some estimated that only "tens of thousands" participated.

There are no official estimates of the crowd size as the National Park Service no longer tallies official crowd counts. However, CNN reported that Washington D.C. police estimated that 250,000 people participated in the pro-abortion march.

That pales in comparison with the one million that leading abortion advocates predicted would attend.

Before the march, Planned Parenthood said that "more than one million women, men and children" would attend Sunday's march. "On April 25th, one million pro-choice supporters will shape the future of our country," Planned Parenthood wrote in an email alert to supporters in December.

News reports touted similar numbers.

"More than one million people are expected to participate in the rally, which could make it the largest march for legal abortion in US history," the Cincinnati newspaper predicted. The Associated Press said "an estimated 750,000" were slated to converge on the nation's capital.

But, in AP's story Sunday about the march, the news giant reported that only "tens of thousands of women gathered" for Sunday's event.

Pro-life groups say the estimates also wrongly include pro-life counterprotesters. While as many as 100-200,000 people may have been in Washington on Sunday for the event, several thousand of those were pro-life advocates.

Other media estimates, usually larger than the actual number, differed on the size of the pro-abortion contingent.

Reuters reported that "hundreds of thousands of protesters" were in town while United Press International claimed an estimated half-million women alone attended the march.

However, other media outlets reported smaller numbers with the New York Times saying, "tens of thousands of protesters rallied on the National Mall today."

But that didn't stop march organizers from claiming more people attended.

In a press release from march organizers following the event, their headline blared the claim that some "1,150,000 March on Washington, D.C. to Voice Opposition to Government Attacks on Women's Reproductive Rights and Health."

Sponsors had received a permit for a crowd of up to 750,000 people to attend the first march for abortion since 1992.


Enter your email address to receive news from LifeNews.com via email. Do you prefer to receive news daily or weekly? Daily Weekly Do you favor or oppose abortion? Favor Oppose Click here to make a PayPal donation to LifeNews.com!	March For Abortion Attracts Lower Numbers Than Expected by Steven Ertelt LifeNews.com Editor April 25, 2004 Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Though organizers expected as many as one million people in Washington today to march in support of abortion, police estimated that only a quarter of that number actually attended the pro-abortion rally. While media outlets varied in their description of the numbers, some estimated that only "tens of thousands" participated. There are no official estimates of the crowd size as the National Park Service no longer tallies official crowd counts. However, CNN reported that Washington D.C. police estimated that 250,000 people participated in the pro-abortion march. That pales in comparison with the one million that leading abortion advocates predicted would attend. Before the march, Planned Parenthood said that "more than one million women, men and children" would attend Sunday's march. "On April 25th, one million pro-choice supporters will shape the future of our country," Planned Parenthood wrote in an email alert to supporters in December. News reports touted similar numbers. "More than one million people are expected to participate in the rally, which could make it the largest march for legal abortion in US history," the Cincinnati newspaper predicted. The Associated Press said "an estimated 750,000" were slated to converge on the nation's capital. But, in AP's story Sunday about the march, the news giant reported that only "tens of thousands of women gathered" for Sunday's event. Pro-life groups say the estimates also wrongly include pro-life counterprotesters. While as many as 100-200,000 people may have been in Washington on Sunday for the event, several thousand of those were pro-life advocates. Other media estimates, usually larger than the actual number, differed on the size of the pro-abortion contingent. Reuters reported that "hundreds of thousands of protesters" were in town while United Press International claimed an estimated half-million women alone attended the march. However, other media outlets reported smaller numbers with the New York Times saying, "tens of thousands of protesters rallied on the National Mall today." But that didn't stop march organizers from claiming more people attended. In a press release from march organizers following the event, their headline blared the claim that some "1,150,000 March on Washington, D.C. to Voice Opposition to Government Attacks on Women's Reproductive Rights and Health." Sponsors had received a permit for a crowd of up to 750,000 people to attend the first march for abortion since 1992.