Man harasses patients outside Planned Parenthood clinic

PULLMAN — Some patients who visited the Planned Parenthood in Pullman late Thursday morning were greeted by a man yelling profanities, according to the Pullman Police Department.

Pullman Police Sergeant Chris Engle says that while such incidents have become far too common, there’s not much the department can do to combat them.

“It’s one of those things that’s become semi-routine for us,” Engle said. “The officer who responded discussed appropriate use of language with them and that was about it. That’s not uncommon for people to be standing outside Planned Parenthood protesting.”

He added no crime was committed because the offender was standing on a public sidewalk.

“If they’re out on the sidewalk, it’s an issue of free speech,” he said. “Obviously, they’re not allowed to walk onto the premises if Planned Parenthood doesn’t want them there. But when it comes to the sidewalk in front of the facility, that’s their right to be there in protest.”

The health center in Pullman has seen dozens of harassment incidents and anti-abortion demonstrations over the years. In 2015, the facility was set ablaze when a person threw a flammable object through the window, leading the FBI to get involved.

Paul Dillon, vice president for public affairs at the Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, says activists have become emboldened with aggressive and hostile behavior thanks to recent abortion bans in Idaho and other states. (See related story on Page 1A.)

According to staff at the Pullman facility, there was protesting throughout the day Thursday by a club from across the border called Students for Life at the University of Idaho.

The group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“They were protesting and exhibiting aggressive behavior toward patients,” Dillon said. “Unfortunately during 40 Days for Life, which is currently happening, we get protesters every day for 40 days. There’s groups that kind of come in and out.”

The 40 Days for Life movement is an international campaign to end abortion through round-the-clock prayer or vigil outside local Planned Parenthood centers and other abortion facilities.

While the group has denied using aggressive tactics in the past, Dillon says demonstrators often go out of their way to confront patients they suspect of seeking an abortion to stigmatize and intimidate them. Even staff members are singled out and harassed.

Planned Parenthood recently won an injunction in a lawsuit against protestors in Spokane for interfering with a health care facility, which is against state law.

“It’s not an issue of free speech,” Dillon said. “It’s an issue of safety. Protesters can’t block access from patients or staff entering the building. This would not be tolerated at another health care facility.”

He says the goal of the demonstrations is to ultimately shut Planned Parenthood down. Dillon recalled an incident when he first started working at Planned Parenthood where protestors followed and filmed him walking to his car.

But he won’t let the tactics impact the facility’s services, which include cancer screenings, STD testing and fertility checkups.

“We are proud to serve patients across the Palouse and the rest of the region,” he said. “They’re not going to bully and intimidate us. Our doors are going to remain open and we’re going to keep serving patients for all of their health care needs, no matter what.”

Palermo can be reached at apalermo@dnews.com or on Twitter @apalermotweets.