Hundreds of protesters rallied in front of Planned Parenthood offices in St. Paul on Saturday morning as part of a national day of protest against the organization over its alleged handling of fetal tissue.
The protest was sparked by the recent release of videos that purport to show Planned Parenthood's national medical director discussing the sale of fetal tissue to alleged medical researchers. Planned Parenthood has argued the videos were heavily edited and the conversation was taken out of context.
Although protesters were reporting crowds of more than 4,000, St. Paul police spokesman Sgt. Paul Paulos said they numbered "less than 1,000." The demonstration was peaceful, said Paulos, and did not disrupt area traffic.
Another protest in Moorhead drew more than 300 participants, according to media reports.
The Minnesota protests were among those held by anti-abortion activists at Planned Parenthood clinics across the country Saturday morning. They urged lawmakers to end federal funding for the health care organization.
Jean Hopfensperger • 612-673-4511
