Hundreds of protestors on both sides of the abortion debate clashed Saturday in a heated dispute over the opening of a second-trimester abortion clinic at the Madison Surgery Center.
Opponents of the clinic met at Library Mall and listened to speeches from pro-life activists like Matt Bowman, legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund.
ADF, a legal alliance that defends religious liberty, originally voiced its discontent with the opening of the clinic in December 2008.
In a speech, Bowman said pro-life doctors should not have to work at a center that performs abortions.
The challengers of the clinic marched from central campus to the Madison Surgery Center parking lot to confront a group of pro-choice advocates organized by the International Socialist Organization.
Steve Karlen, a Madison Vigil for Life member who helped organize the event, said he felt abortion procedures should not be performed at the Madison Surgery Center.
It is a proven fact that life begins at conception,"" he said. ""We cannot have our UW Hospital or Meriter killing lives in what is ordinarily a legitimate surgery center.""
The anti-abortion group met pro-choice advocates like Elizabeth Wrigley-Field, leader of ISO.
Wrigley-Field said an abortion is a procedure all women have the right to and that access to the procedure is drastically limited in Wisconsin.
""Right now Wisconsin has only nine abortion providers for the whole state,"" she said. ""That has to change.""
Dozens of UW-Madison students took part in the event and showed strong support for both sides of the issue.
""At the very heart of all issues should be life,"" Patricia Kosmalski, a UW-Madison senior, said. ""If our university doesn't support life I don't know how we can trust it with any other type of knowledge.""
In contrast, Anna Igler, a UW-Madison fourth-year medical student, said she felt abortions are a health-care right and women should have access to them regardless of the situation.
Wrigley-Field said she hopes the pro-life movement will not deter UW Hospital Board of Directors' decision to open the clinic.
""I think today showed [UW and Meriter] that there is another side that will actively defend women's abortion rights in Madison, and can help them stick to the decision they've made to serve women's health,"" she said.
According to a statement on the UW Health website, the decision to open the clinic will come from the Madison Surgery Center's board of directors. However, directors of UW Medical Foundation, Meriter Hospital and UW Hospital must approve the decision.
