2 Clinics Targets of Abortion Protests

About 300 demonstrators on both sides of the abortion issue turned out Saturday as members of Operation Rescue temporarily blocked access to family planning clinics in Glendale and Pacoima, police said.

Both rallies ended peacefully, although there were verbal confrontations between the two sides, police said.

There were no arrests.

Some patients and employees were temporarily turned away from the clinics, but both remained open all day Saturday, authorities said.

Operation Rescue members gathered first at Family Planning Associates, 372 Arden Ave. in Glendale, about 7 a.m., where they jammed a stairwell and blocked access for a brief time.

A spokeswoman said the group wanted to turn away women arriving early for abortions, hoping that they would return home and reconsider their decisions to end their pregnancies.

Most of the group left Glendale and moved to Her Clinic, 13309 Van Nuys Blvd. in Pacoima, about 7:40 a.m., police said.

Demonstrators remained in Pacoima for several hours, said Sgt. Dennis Pelch.

Officers were sent to Pacoima from downtown Los Angeles to help Foothill Division officers in the event of problems, but there were none, Pelch said.

Operation Rescue is a nationwide group that often blocks entrances to clinics and tries to talk pregnant women out of having abortions.