LogFAQs > #965041197

I went to a pro-abortion event today, which counter-protesters attempted to shut down. Had to block their attempts to storm the stage, corral them off to one side, and distract them with conversation so they'd leave the main speakers alone- they had pictures of medical waste to traumatize people who were telling stories about how their friends died from untreated miscarriages and DIY abortions. I did not expect to have to intercede like that... ended up having to engage with them for about an hour and a half, which was most of the event. Frustrating, because I really wanted to pay more attention to what was being said.

It was interesting. You could tell where they had recited talking points, where they had practiced attempting to redirect conversations, and where they were completely unprepared. I don't think they were ready to be surrounded by a bunch of victims of CSA, medical professionals, history buffs, and folks savvy on the subject matter of bodily autonomy and the history of medical rights keeping them from harassing the key speakers. I'm not a very good public speaker (I sometimes accidentally say the opposite of what I mean and have to correct myself, which is annoying) but I think I did okay, trying to keep people from yelling while still distracting them. I've actually never engaged with counter-protesters before; we'd been told not to, but when we realized that they were trying to fuck with the primary speakers, well... that's not acceptable.

I didn't really like when very upset people yelled at the counter-protesters- it was mostly older women who did that, I think quite a few of them have some trauma from the pre Roe Vs Wade era and it made it difficult for them to control their tempers. The counter-protesters were clearly fishing for an excuse to call the police as well, which they ended up doing anyway. It didn't cause any problems, though; it's not like anyone attacked them. I guess they felt unsafe when so many people blocked them off away from the stage, which is understandable.