CHICAGO — Anti-abortion protestors that have targeted a West Loop women’s healthcare clinic may be getting a lot quieter.
There is a proposal up for a vote at City Hall Wednesday to form a quiet zone around the clinic.
Ald. Bill Conway says the protests have gotten so out of control at the West Loop clinic that this ordinance will help protect patients, staff and people who live near it.
“To give you a since of what it’s like, you’ll see more than 100 protestors who are not just exercising their freedom of speech, but they are running and screaming at patients to get out of their cars, discourage them from seeing their doctors. They are blaring bullhorns designed to scare them. Place amplifies up and against nurses can’t hear the patients,” Conway said.
This is a photo provided to WGN News by Ald. Conway’s office. They say they depict the crowds of people but not the noise.
Conway says this is typical on any given Saturday near the Family Planning Associates Clinic in the 600 block of West Washington Street in the West Loop.
Conway says his ordinance is no different than other quiet zones near the medical clinics in residential areas across the city.
Conway says the protest become so chaotic that it is hard for police to enforce the 50-foot bubble rule Chicago already has on the books. He believes the law would win any legal challenges based on the first amendment.
He is confident he will have enough support to get the ordinance passed today — something anti-abortion supporters say is unnecessary.
“You don’t need a brand-new law why deprive last opportunity to say no,” Conway said.
Conway’s proposal will likely get a vote at City Council Wednesday. If it does pass, it could go into effect by the end of the week, all depending on when C-DOT could get the signs up.