Planned Parenthood Worker Accused of Purposely Coughing on Pro-Life Demonstrator Amid Pandemic
A Planned Parenthood worker allegedly purposefully coughed on participants in a pro-life vigil at a clinic in downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday.
“This is disgusting in any circumstance — it is pure hate in the midst of a global pandemic,” Shawn Carney, president of the pro-life campaign 40 Days for Life, wrote in a blog post.
“Planned Parenthood either wants you to get Coronavirus or wants you to think you have Coronavirus,” he further charged.
“The abortion worker should be fired in my judgment,” Carney argued.
He did not express optimism that action will be taken against the staffer.
“I expect Planned Parenthood to tolerate such vile acts from their employees for one reason: they are directed at pro-life people during a viral outbreak,” Carney wrote.
DISGRACEFUL: In a blatant move, outright ignoring the CDC and the World Health Organization, one very angry Planned Parenthood worker in Pittsburgh intentionally coughed on 40 Days for Life vigil participants. https://t.co/PwouhkqU2J
— 40 Days for Life (@40daysforlife) March 17, 2020
CNS News reported regarding the details of the incident, “One of the vigil team, who asked not to be named, said a young female Planned Parenthood employee ‘turned to cough on me and give me the finger.’”
“She said it was definitely not a genuine cough, but ‘very theatrical,’ and that the woman had also leaned ‘towards me when she started coughing,’” the news outlet added.
“She could not estimate the gap between them at the time, but described the staffer as being within ‘pre-corona’ conversation distance of her when she coughed, several times.”
The vigil participant believes the encounter was “most likely” in view of the abortion facility’s security cameras, but would not be surprised if the footage was already erased.
Carney recounted that the participant who had been coughed on had “saved a baby” the day before the incident.
Nikki Bruni, the campaign director for 40 Days for Life Pittsburgh, told CNS News she believes the Planned Parenthood worker was looking to scare the pro-life protesters.
“I am positive that those who have been intentionally coughing on us while we are praying and sidewalk advocating in front of Planned Parenthood are doing this to try to scare us away and to keep us from coming back,” she said.
In late February, 40 Days for Life vigils began around the clock at abortion facilities across the globe. They are slated to continue until April 5, which is Palm Sunday.
“This first week has been the best ever!” said the campaign team in San Francisco.
Vigil participation is up – more groups are adopting weekly prayer shifts on the sidewalk. That’s important, Planned Parenthood is preparing to open a new facility in San Francisco this year. pic.twitter.com/V6vhYzaHne
— 40 Days for Life (@40daysforlife) March 4, 2020
The Western Journal reached out to Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania for comment regarding the alleged incident at the Pittsburgh clinic, but did not receive a response.
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