Abortion Rights Groups Rally at Santa Monica Planned Parenthood

Members of abortion rights groups protested at the Third Street Promenade Planned Parenthood clinic on Saturday, March 25.

Bamn organizer Adam Lerman with other Bamn Members outside the Planned-Parenthood defending abortion rights at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif. on Saturday March. 25 2023. (Isaac Manno | The Corsair)

Representatives for the By All Means Necessary (Bamn) organization congrigating outside Planned-Parenthood at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif. on Saturday March. 25 2023. (Isaac Manno | The Corsair)

Bamn organizer Jose Lagos out side Planned-Parenthood and discussing the end of the todays protest with another bamn member at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif. on Saturday March. 25 2023. (Isaac Manno | The Corsair)

Bamn organizer Adam Lerman outside the Planned-Parenthood defending abortion rights at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif. on Saturday March. 25 2023. (Isaac Manno | The Corsair)

Members from Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights joining the Bamn members in protesting about abortion right at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif. On Saturday March. 25 2023 (Isaac Manno | The Corsair)

Bamn organizer Hoko Jeffery at 3rd Street Promenade protesting for abortion rights for women, and Planned-Parenthood in Santa Monica, Calif.on Saturday March. 25 2023. (Isaac Manno | The Corsair)

Members of abortion rights groups protested at the Third Street Promenade Planned Parenthood clinic on Saturday, March 25.

On Saturday, members of the militant left-wing activist group Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration & Immigrant Rights, and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) took to the streets in front of Santa Monica’s Planned Parenthood at the Third Street Promenade in defense of abortion rights.

Members of BAMN arrived at the Planned Parenthood by 9 a.m. while other supporters trickled in. They passed out pamphlets that cited the need to defend women’s rights, abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Members also spoke with rallygoers about the movement and how they could support it. Another organization, Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights (RU4AR), also came to the rally in support. The rally remained peaceful as counter-protesters from the right did not arrive as BAMN had originally suspected.

Hoku Jeffrey and Jose Lagos, BAMN organizers who have been members for 28 and 13 years respectively, said that the protest was in response to an anti-abortion protest planned by right-wing neo-fascist groups at the same time and place. The groups — AmericanMade Patriots and Proud Boys — previously forced the medical clinic to close early during a protest in July 2022.

Chris Reyes, a lead organizer of AmericanMade Patriots, did not respond to the Corsair’s request for comment.

Jeffrey expressed disappointment in both the Republican and Democratic parties. Jeffery said the Biden administration “had many chances” to make federal protections for abortion rights, but never did.

“That's why we feel so urgent that this movement has to be built,” he said.

Jeffrey said that the reason right-wing supporters are mobilizing around the topic of abortion is because “they’re worried about the 2024 election, and that they “have to start mobilizing early in order to give Trump a chance of winning.”

Lagos said that right-wing groups felt emboldened by the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“We want to also set an example for people around the country that these people can be defeated,” Lagos said. “But we need to mobilize, it’s not enough just to rely on politicians and on the law.”

Jeffrey agreed, and reiterated the sentiment expressed by BAMN’s title.

“We don’t care what the law says, we don’t care what the government says,” he said. “No governmental entity, politicians, anyone has the right to put oppressed people in second-class status in a society.”