Separate demonstrations about abortion take to streets outside Illinois capitol

[March 22, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Hundreds demonstrated Tuesday outside the capitol in Springfield as rallies were held for both pro-choice and pro-life causes.

While the demonstrations were centered around access to abortion, opponents of lax abortion laws spoke against House Bill 2463. The measure would allow the Illinois Attorney General to shut down "limited pregnancy care centers" in Illinois when the AG believes the center has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in any practice declared to be unlawful.

Illinois has some of the least restrictive abortion laws in the nation. Late Tuesday, lawmakers passed House Bill 2477 out of the House which would require a even split for parents on abortion costs.

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said some lawmakers are going too far with lax abortion laws.

"I definitely think they are [going too far]. They have been for years. Whether it's taxpayer-funded, removing parental notification, people are coming from other states to come here," McCombie told The Center Square. "It is no longer about choice."

Heather McMeekan of Peoria attended the pro-choice rally down the street and said abortion opponents try to limit access to the procedure and that will hurt more than just pro-choice advocates.

"What is happening here is not just against women," McMeekan said. "It is against queer-folk, it is against gender justice, and it is about gender enslavement."

Jessica Motsinger of Swansea also attended the pro-choice rally and said she and others would continue to fight for reproductive health care.

Groups opposed to abortion rally outside the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield Tuesday
Greg Bishop / The Center Square

"We fought the Taliban for 20 years. Religious extremists are trying to do the same thing here," Motsinger said. "Not on our watch."

State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, addressed the anti-abortion rally numbering in the hundreds in Springfield.

"We see in this General Assembly a bill to silence and intimidate pregnancy resource centers," Hauter said. "I'll tell you, pregnancy care centers are the true pro-choice pregnancy centers in Illinois."

Hauter said pregnancy resource centers don't cost taxpayers anything while the majority party in the Illinois statehouse has approved taxpayer funding for abortion.

"In Illinois, the pro-abortion radicals are in control," Hauter said. "They make sure abortion is common, celebrated, and unfortunately now, moving the laws to make it less safe than ever before."

It is estimated that over 1,000 anti-abortion demonstrators attended the rally compared to under 100 pro-choice demonstrators that rallied down the street.

Of the hundreds of people who peacefully gathered Tuesday on each side of the issue, McCombie said she respects the Illinoisans who made the trip to Springfield.

"I think its great to see people here at a rally, peacefully and just telling their views," McCombie said. "I think that is the American way."

Andrew Hensel reports on issues in Chicago and Statewide. He has been with The Center Square News since April of 2021 and was previously with The Joliet Slammers.