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March for Life advocates protest outside Planned Parenthood building in Denver

Annual March for Life takes to Denver streets
Posted at 10:59 AM, Jan 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-28 21:24:47-05

DENVER – Hundreds of pro-life advocates marched for life in Denver this Saturday, braving cold temperatures and joining others across the country to send a clear message 44 years after the United States Supreme Court passed a landmark decision on the issue of abortion.  

Pro-life advocates met outside of the Planned Parenthood building on 38th Avenue and Pontiac Street.

The annual March for Life demonstration started at 9 a.m., although supporters began to line sidewalks with posters and anti-abortion images at around 7:30 a.m.

Denver7 talked to Jo Scott, with Colorado Coalition for Life. She said she spends Tuesday through Saturday morning on a ten-foot ladder outside of Planned Parenthood.

Scott is usually surrounded by a handful of others but Saturday morning nearly 200 others joined her in protest.

Scott said her anti-abortion effort started in the 1970's. She and a friend walked into a local clinic with graphic examples of abortion, thinking that was enough to change the minds of patients and was hopeful it was enough to change the law.

"I figured, two weeks -- abortion would be over. Been the longest two weeks of my life," said Scott.
 
Whitney Phillips, a spokesperson with Planned Parenthood clinic, said the organization is very aware of the changes that could come. "Clearly we have a little more at stake with talks about defunding, and we're working our political strategy."
 
Phillips told Denver7's Amanda del Castillo that the Denver clinic currently serves 70,000 patients throughout the state, per year.
 
"Those patients come to us for a reason. We are known as reproductive health experts, and they come to us for high quality, passionate healthcare," said Phillips.

Denver’s local effort was put on by Colorado Right to Life and followed the March for Life demonstration held Friday on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where thousands from across the country marched with the same message. 

Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the event on Friday, repeating a chant that was commonly used during the march, “Life is winning in America.”

President Donald Trump took to Twitter and announced his full support for March for Life advocates.

The annual event is in its 44th year. March for Life has been held annually since Roe v. Wade was passed into law in 1973.

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