Planned Parenthood is offering free abortions and vasectomies to Chicago residents and visitors as the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) begins downtown.
Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which provides abortions and contraceptives in southern Illinois, said on social media last week that it was traveling to Chicago and would perform free abortions and sterilization procedures in a motor home.
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“Here we go, Chicago! “Our mobile health clinic will be in the West Loop with (the Chicago Abortion Fund) and (the Vienna Circle) on August 19 and 20, providing FREE vasectomies and medication abortions,” Planned Parenthood posted on social media .
Emergency contraception “will also be available free of charge without an appointment,” the organization said.
The West Loop neighborhood is just minutes from the United Center, where the DNC will be held this week. The Wieners Circle, meanwhile, is a Chicago hot dog restaurant that has spoken out in favor of abortion on social media.
https://x.com/ppgreatrivers/status/1823819106652410201
The response to free abortions and sterilizations was evidently overwhelming. On Saturday, the Planned Parenthood affiliate posted on X that “all free vasectomies and medication abortions are over for our mobile health clinic in Chicago.”
For a long time a pilar of the Democratic platform, the Democratic Party has made support for abortion a major campaign issue this year. This will be the first presidential election since Roe v. Wade would be repealed in 2022.
Earlier this year, the DNC committed to dedicate more than 8 million US dollars to promote abortion this election cycle, promising to spend “millions to build infrastructure across the country and help elect Democrats across the ballot” to protect abortion.
Also this summer, Democrats signaled their intention to repeal the Comstock Act150 years old, which prohibits the shipping of abortion drugs through the United States Postal Service.
That law has not been applied for approximately 50 years after the decision of Roe in 1973, but Democrats have expressed fear that a Republican White House could use the law to restrict abortifacients sent through the mail service after the repeal of Roe.
Meanwhile, presumptive Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz is a staunch supporter of abortion, having signed a law as governor of Minnesota to codify “a fundamental right” to abortion in the state, even for minors.
Minnesota’s governor also signed legislation that reduced legal protections for babies born after a failed abortion attempt in that state.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Daniel Payne
Daniel Payne is senior editor at Catholic News Agency. He previously worked on College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.