BURLINGTON, Vt. -
Burlington City Council passed a resolution to help protect Planned Parenthood patients from being harassed by protestors Monday night. Dozens of Planned Parenthood supporters held these signs Monday night, hoping to persuade Burlington council members to protect their rights.
"I support free speech and I support the hard right to have an abortion," said a patient supporter.
Planned Parenthood wants the city to create a patient safety zone, which would extend 35 feet around entrances and driveways.
"They are coming up to our patients and staff, approaching them, giving them misinformation about medical procedures," said Vermont Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.
Krowinski says since Planned Parenthood moved from Mansfield Avenue to St. Paul Street last fall protests have increased, "We have been working with the police for months to ensure we can find a balancing act."
Not everyone at Monday's city council meeting was there for Planned Parenthood; some people wore buttons to show their support for the protestors.
"What's happening in there is the killing of children," said protestor supporter, Rev. Charles Danielson.
Protestors say they respect the laws of free speech, "I have not witnessed any physical or verbal abuse of people entering or leaving those buildings, however, as a participant in the peaceful vigil, I have been verbally abused," said a protestor speaking up at Monday night's meeting.
The resolution for the Patient Safety Zone passed 13-1. It will now move to the Burlington City Council Ordinance Committee.
