Illinois Abortion Center Sees 1,200 Pro-Life Advocates Join Weekend Protest 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 27, 2007
Aurora, IL (LifeNews.com) — The new abortion center in Aurora that Planned Parenthood is expected to open within weeks saw more than 1,200 pro-life advocates protest and pray there over the weekend. What started as a small group of local pro-life advocates weeks ago has turned into a national movement against the new facility.
The pro-life activists gathered at 3051 E. New York, the site of a new abortion business that was built entirely in secret until just weeks ago.
Planned Parenthood got around public knowledge and opposition by calling the building the Gemini Health Center in all of its building plans and documents.
“Aurora residents are coming out by the hundreds to tell the world they don’t want Planned Parenthood in their city,” Eric Scheidler, of the Pro-Life Action League, told LifeNews.com. “We have already seen the deceptive tactics they used to get into our city and we don’t want the same methods used on our children.”
The group has sponsored a 24-hour 40-day prayer vigil that is slated to continue until the abortion center opens on September 18.
Scheidler says pro-life advocates are planning to address the Aurora City Council on Tuesday night. Scheidler said he would be asking city official to investigate Planned Parenthood for fraudulently obtaining needed construction permits.
“The people will tell the city council that they want to protect Aurora from this organization,” continued Scheidler. “This is not the kind of place we want next to the local grocery store, the Starbucks or anywhere else. We want them out of our city.”
"I’ve already signed up, and we need others to demand city officials look into this," Scheidler said at the rally.
They are also asking Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner to direct the Division of Building and Permits to deny the occupancy permit to Planned Parenthood.
"I’ve lived in Aurora for nine years, and our church is just down the street from here," Pastor Steve Schroeder of New Life Baptist Church said Saturday. "We had no idea this building was going to be an abortion clinic. We’re outraged and now we’re very concerned about the girls who will come here."
Only two dozen supporters of Planned Parenthood showed up at the pro-life rally to defend the abortion center. The Chicago Tribune indicated they mostly consisted of members of the DuPage and Kane County chapters of NOW, a national pro-abortion group.
"They [abortion protesters] know that it is futile to try to stop the clinic," Illinois NOW president Bonnie Grabenhofer said. "They come here to harass women."
ACTION: Contact Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and ask him to prevent Planned Parenthood from opening its abortion business. Email positive encouragement to Mayor Weisner at
[email protected] or call (630) 264-4636.
