Although hundreds of thousands of pro-life people are in the nation’s capital for the March for Life, the national march is not the only thing on their mind. Hundreds of pro-life advocates are still concerned that late-term abortion practitioner LeRoy Carhart is operating in nearby Maryland.
Carhart is the abortion practitioner who frequently used the partial-birth abortion procedure in Nebraska until the Supreme Court upheld the ban Congress approved. he then performed late abortions until Nebraska lawmakers approved legislation to ban abortions after 20 weeks based on the scientific evidence that unborn children feel pain.
Carhart relocated to Maryland where he now works for the reproductive Health Services abortion business in Germantown, just outside Washington.
He has already faced protests and he faced another one on Sunday featuring hundreds of pro-life advocates, who converged on the Executive Park Terrace. The demonstration began Saturday afternoon and featured 25 minutes of speakers and a walk along a 1.5-mile-long area circling the Germantown Commons shopping center where the abortion facility is located.
Participants carried “Praying for the Protection of Life” signs while others held signs saying they regretted their abortions.
Josh Boyed, a member of the nearby Christ Community Church, joined the crowd and talked with the Germantown Patch newspaper about why he did.
“It’s completely against everything in scripture,” he said. “I just can’t believe this is happening right here in Germantown. It’s just tough to even think about it.”
Charlie Baile, pastor of Shady Grove Presbyterian Church in Derwood joined in as well and said, “This is right in our backyard. This is ground zero for late-term abortions.”
MaryAnne Wright of Germantown added: “People are definitely willing to adopt, so I don’t understand why people would do this.”
The newspaper indicated a smaller group of abortion advocates came to counterprotest and they held signs such as “This Clinic Stays Open,” “Thank You Dr. Carhart,” and “Keep Abortion Legal.” They chanted different pro-abortion slogans and phrases.
Lindsey Gray, who carried a sign thanking the late-term abortion practitioner, told the newspaper, “I just think it’s important to keep abortion safe and legal. Abortions are going to happen no matter what so you might as well keep them safe and healthy.”
Local police taped off the abortion clinic parking lot to keep pro-life people away from the abortion center and also directed traffic around the pro-life people so they would remain safe during the event. They also moved the pro-abortion protestors to the other side of the road away from pro-life advocates.
Saturday evening pro-life leaders from around the country addressed a well-attended rally at a local church. Operation Rescue President shared with the gathering and also presented a ceremonial check for $25,000 to Kim Nichols, the first award in OR’s Abortion Whistleblowers Program that rewards information leading to the arrest and conviction of abortionists who are breaking the law.
Nichols provided critical information that led to the conviction of abortionist Rapin Osathanondh on the charge of manslaughter for his criminal treatment of Laura Hope Smith, who died at his hand in 2007 during a botched abortion. Accepting the check on behalf of Nichols was Brandi Swindell of Generation Life.
