Abortion Protesters End Campaign in Buffalo

Operation Rescue ended its two-week anti-abortion campaign here Saturday, overwhelmed by counterdemonstrations and stinging from a shortage of volunteers willing to risk arrest.

The protests leave the city with a bill expected to exceed $250,000 for police overtime.

“They can’t leave soon enough,” said Angelo Alessandra, chief of detectives.

At the end, the anti-abortion group left about 120 supporters held at an armory on charges of trying to block clinics. They have refused to pay bail and are awaiting court hearings later this month.

Sixty-eight anti-abortion demonstrators were arrested Saturday as they tried again to block a rear entrance to the Buffalo GYN Womenservices clinic, site of many previous protests.

Three abortion-rights demonstrators were also arrested.

Patterned on last summer’s 46-day campaign in Wichita, Kan., where nearly 2,700 arrests were made, the Buffalo effort was met by higher numbers of abortion-rights activists.

Demonstrators on both sides said they were relieved to end their protests. Abortion opponents planned church rallies Saturday night and today. Abortion-rights advocates planned a party at a bar.

Operation Rescue leaders claimed their demonstrations in Buffalo prevented abortions from taking place. But they were disappointed at failing to muster more people willing to risk arrest by blocking clinics.

Since the Buffalo campaign began April 20, as many as 1,500 people attended nightly anti-abortion rallies, but Operation Rescue rarely could get more than 100 willing to risk arrest.

Through Saturday, abortion protesters logged 597 arrests, including people who were arrested repeatedly. Eighteen abortion-rights demonstrators were arrested.

Operation Rescue leaders said they plan large demonstrations this summer in New York City during the Democratic convention and in Houston during the Republican convention.