Pro-life activists have been granted permission from the city of San Francisco to stand outside of abortion facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to offer resources to abortion-vulnerable women.
This news comes after sidewalk counselor Ron Konopaski was issued a citation by the San Francisco Police Department on April 2, 2020. Standing outside of the Valencia Planned Parenthood, Konopaski and his group were following social distancing rules as they engaged in pro-life outreach by the abortion facility. Life Legal Attorneys contacted the San Francisco city attorney’s office after Konopaski was given a citation, claiming that his right to freedom of speech had been violated.
The founder and president of Pro-Life San Francisco, Terrisa Bukovinac, was there when the incident happened. In a video depicting the interaction with police, Bukovinac can be heard saying, “We are not going to leave these women to fend for themselves or to be victims of yet another greedy and vicious industry that thrives off of violence and the marginalized.”
The lawyers from Life Legal were able to reach an agreement with the San Francisco city attorneys. As a result, pro-lifers will be allowed to continuing counseling women outside of abortion facilities about their options.
After being assaulted outside of the same clinic last year, with the police failing to locate the culprit, not even a citation was enough to stop Konopaski from praying outside of Planned Parenthood in San Francisco. His pro-life adovocacy work is something he’s been doing for over a decade now.
The situation with Konopaski is the experience of many pro-lifers engaging in sidewalk counseling during COVID-19, with some being arrested.
Bukovinac commented on the fact that abortion businesses have been permitted to continue operations while all other activities have been halted due to COVID-19.
“Abortion is the number one cause of death in America today and it is elective by definition,” she said. “And yet, this facility remains open against the Stay-at-Home order….”
