Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, May 10, members of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and their supporters protested outside of First Care Pregnancy Center, an anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy center” known for using deceptive tactics and spreading medical disinformation about abortion.
Crisis pregnancy centers, or CPCs, are operated by the anti-abortion right wing. They market themselves as legitimate medical facilities, but in reality, they exist to spread anti-abortion propaganda and manipulate people into keeping unwanted pregnancies. They outnumber real abortion clinics tenfold in the state of Minnesota, presenting a significant barrier to abortion access for Minnesota residents, as well as for the increasing number of people coming to Minnesota for abortion procedures.
MNAAC has protested several locations of First Care Pregnancy Center. However, anti-abortion forces in the Twin Cities, clearly rattled by the work MNAAC has done to expose the true intentions of CPCs, organized counter-protesters for a rally that MNAAC had called in December 2023 at the First Care location on University Avenue. These counter-protesters heckled attendees, held signs allegedly showing aborted fetuses, and filmed attendees even after being asked to stop. As a response to this show of intimidation, MNAAC orchestrated Friday’s surprise rally, assembling a group of trusted supporters to show First Care that they would not be discouraged by opposition.