Planned Parenthood under protest, counter-protest - KOAM TV 7

Planned Parenthood locations across the country are under protest Saturday, Joplin's location is no exception.

A protest and simultaneous counter-protest took place Saturday morning at 7th and Illinois, the location of the Southwest Missouri Planned Parenthood.

"Planned Parenthood has allowed baby parts to be sold for profit, and if abortion is not heinous enough, the selling of body parts reminds me of something that happened during WWII in the Nazi prison camps when Dr. Mendel and other experimented on human life," protester Dave Spiering with Missouri Right to Life said.

Across the street stood several counter-protesters with signs vouching for Planned Parenthood services.

"Planned parenthood provides a multitude of services for women and their opponents kind of want to focus on one issue," Planned Parenthood supporter Jessica Dickey said.

The two sides quietly and peacefully stood with signs, garnering many honks. Both sides agree the media needs to be more accountable in the presentation of Planned Parenthood.

"Women have to get their healthcare somewhere. this is a place that supports women. They've been vilified a lot lately, in the media, it's important that people understand there's a controversy here. There's two sides that they need to see," Dickey said.

On the other side, Spiering said news outlets have failed to make Planned Parenthood an issue.

"They make other things issues and they failed to make this an issue so somebody has to keep the fire burning," Spiering said.

The organized group "Protest Planned Parenthood" has deemed the fourth Saturday of every April to be a protest day until Planned Parenthood stops abortion services altogether.

"We share in their pain I guess is a way of putting it. We are out here away from things we could be doing or things we would be more comfortable doing, they're being deprived of their life which is definitely uncomfortable and we feel we have a part with them," Spiering said.

The Joplin location does not offer abortion services.

"Women will keep having healthcare options for reproductive health. Women need to have contraceptives available to them," Dickey said.