Sacramento moves to protect Planned Parenthood anticipating Supreme Court abortion ruling
Anticipating the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the Sacramento City Council Tuesday passed an emergency ordinance aimed at deterring harassment of patients and staff outside Planned Parenthood clinics.
The ordinance, which goes into effect immediately, expands on an existing code that prohibits harassment of people within 100 feet of health care facilities.
The new measure retains the same distance for protections against harassment, but details potential criminal penalties and empowers police to order the immediate dispersal of any groups who appear to violate the ordinance.
Now, people who violated the ordinance could be charged with a misdemeanor offense and face civil penalties of $250 to $25,000 per violation.
The new ordinance adds language to prohibit protesters from approaching people in their vehicles seeking to enter or exit the parking lot in order to harass or intimidate. It says the ordinance is in effect one hour before and one hour after the facility’s business hours.
Democratic lawmakers and local officials across the state have been moving to protect abortion access in California since May, when a leaked draft opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court showed justices preparing to overturn Roe v. Wade. Democratic leaders in the Legislature, for instance, are carrying a proposal that would make abortion a constitutional right.
Some California abortion providers believe women from other states will travel here for reproductive care if the court overturns Roe v. Wade as expected, raising the possibility of conflicts outside of clinics.
“Across California, this is going to become an escalating challenge,” said Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela, who spearheaded the local ordinance. “It’s really chilling and it’s going to have a chilling impact on people seeking care and its important we clarify the law now.”
Planned Parenthood has seen an increase in protesters at its three Sacramento facilities in the city since last year, said Candelaria Vargas of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.
Outside the nonprofit’s clinic at B and 29th streets in midtown, protesters often play baby crying noises on loud speakers and stand on scaffolding to they can see over the privacy fencing, Vargas said. The police cited two main protesters for trespassing in the parking lot, one in February and one in April, but they were back out there Tuesday, Vargas said.
Every day when Dr. Jessica Hamilton goes to work at the B Street Health Center, a man yells at her on a loud speaker, calling her by name and calling her a murderer, she said. He often wears a pink shirt to confuse patients into thinking he works for Planned Parenthood, she said. He also plays baby crying noises that can be heard inside the facility’s recovery room.
“Every day there is an attempt to shame us, every day we’re harassed,” said Hamilton, associate medical director of abortion services for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, told the council. “One of our nurses told me today as she was walking into our health center, he said she’s a worse human being than the shooter at Uvalde. I can only imagine how our patients feel.”
Police have heard reports that some groups could be preparing for violence nationwide, said Police Capt. Ethan Hansen.
“Some groups have called for disobedient behavior to include vandalism graffiti and at some times violence,” Hansen said.
This story was updated June 24, 2022 to reflect the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
This story was originally published June 15, 2022 at 12:32 PM.
