Cross Country Abortion Protesters Reach Dubuque

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

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By Daren Sukhram

Story Created: Jul 8, 2009 at 6:30 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 8, 2009 at 6:30 PM CDT

DUBUQUE - Some activists are walking across the country speaking out against abortion. Wednesday, they stopped in Dubuque to protest outside the Planned Parenthood office.

The group started their walk in May in Seattle. Now they've reached the halfway point here in Iowa.

The group made up of about a dozen college students joined the picketers who stand in front of Dubuque's planned parenthood each day.

The say they are peaceful protesters, instead of approaching people with their message they say they let their t-shirts do the talking for them.

Organizers say it's was important to stand in front of Planned Parenthood to spread that message to anyone who is considering using the clinic. But Dubuque's Planned Parenthood does not perform abortions.

And directors inside say the additional picketers do not hinder their mission to provide reproductive health care.

"It would be a shame and a dis-service to our community if protesters standing out front would detour anyone from coming in to get services that they really need," said Rebecca TeKippe with Planned Parenthood.

"It's young people so we are trying to stay this is what young people want. They really hope they can change the culture and put and end to abortion," said Crossroads' Martha Nolan.

The group will walk through the city of Dubuque Thursday morning and make their way on foot toward the nation's capital. They expect to reach Washington D.C. in mid-August.

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