Pro-life supporters gather for “Walk For Life”; Face pro-choice opposition downtown
By Lance Kramer and Oz Litvac
The Guardsman
Tens of thousands gathered for the eighth annual West Coast Walk For Life on Jan. 21 to spread their message against abortion before marching down Market Street, where the group closed off the city’s main thoroughfare.
The walk was met with some opposition by pro-choice advocates at Powell and Market, where San Francisco police arrested four demonstrators and then cited and released them. Police officials said they gave two citations for vandalism, one for failing to obey a police officer and one for resisting arrest.
Beginning at Civic Center around 12:30 p.m., Walk For Life co-founder Eva Mutean introduced speakers Lori Hoye, Rev. Clenard Childress, Dr. Vansen Wong and Silent No More representative Jacquie Stalnaker.
“If you were born after 1972, you are a survivor of the abortion holocaust,” said Hoye. She explained how an abortion in her family affected her and her decision to join the Walk For Life.
Former Miss West Virginia Jacquie Stalnaker, a Walk For Life regional coordinator from Birmingham, Ala., told the crowd about a time when she was forced at gunpoint by her boyfriend to have an abortion.
“I held that secret for 22 years,” said Stalnaker. “For 22 years it affected every relationship I was in.”
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Moments before the march began Rev. Childress addressed the crowd. “I always want to remind you that you are the salt of the earth, and God has ordained you for such a time as this.”
The Walk For Life, preceded by a 9 a.m. Catholic Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral, came one day prior to the 39th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade — a milestone in the women’s rights movement.
Members of the Archdioscese from throughout California attended the Mass, along with many other Catholics from throughout the West Coast. The Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bellringers welcomed attendees.
Tour buses lined Geary Boulevard and Gough Street in front of St. Mary’s and the Mass quickly became standing room only.
After the service, people took to the streets and to their respective buses to make the short journey to Civic Center Plaza while carrying hundreds of signs; some reading: “Change Roe v. Wade-Yes We Can” and “A Person Is A Person, No Matter How Small.”
Roughly 50,000 pro-life demonstrators came together in front of City Hall to get their message out and organizers encouraged the participants at the event to sign petitions in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade.
The 1.8 mile march continued to Justin Herman Plaza and closed Market Street for about two hours.
Pro-choice activists made numerous attempts to block Market Street to prevent the Walk For Life marchers from arriving at Justin Herman Plaza.
“When abortion is illegal, women die,” shouted a small group of pro-choice demonstrators, who continued with chants such as, “Racist, Sexist, Anti-Queer, Walk For Life get out of here.”
Police and pro-choice activists clashed for about 15 minutes as police made an effort to clear the way for the Walk.