 "Photo: Dana Centola")
Construction on a Planned Parenthood clinic that would perform abortions will slow after the main contractor pulled out under pressure from a phone campaign by anti-abortion activists.
Browning Construction told Planned Parenthood on Wednesday that it can no longer secure subcontractors to build the South Austin clinic. Prominent local politicians and Planned Parenthood representatives denounced the decision at a press conference.
Meanwhile, anti-abortion activists stirred up controversy at the University during an unrelated protest on the West Mall, using large signs depicting aborted fetuses.
Glenda Parks, chief executive of Planned Parenthood of the Texas Capital Region, said the construction company's withdrawal was a result of pressure from a boycott started by contractor Chris Danze, owner of Maldonado and Danze Inc.
The Choice Project clinic, which broke ground in September 2003, will perform abortions but will mainly provide other health services, Parks said.
Two contractors have already contacted Planned Parenthood to discuss continuing construction, but the group fears the success of the boycott may encourage others to follow suit, Parks said. She believes this is the first time this particular tactic has worked.
Danze said the campaign to boycott the project would continue if new contractors are hired.
"Any contractor that shows up will get a call from us and about a thousand other people," Danze said.
Danze started the boycott when he first learned of the project.
The grass-roots campaign to call potential contractors quickly grew nationwide, Danze said.
At a press conference Wednesday, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and former mayors Gus Garcia and Bruce Todd joined City Councilman Brewster McCracken and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, to voice support for the clinic.
"Working poor in my district rely on Planned Parenthood for preventive health care," Rodriguez said. "It is a testament to what this city is about to have this available."
The former mayors called the boycott "criminal" and "economic blackmail" and vowed to fight for the center.
Watson accused the anti-abortion activists of trying to stifle the debate over abortion, but Danze said Planned Parenthood is afraid of the truth about the matter.
Drew Heiss, a member of the anti-abortion group Mission-aries to the Preborn, said group members were "delighted" that construction was slowed on the clinic.
"Anytime we can keep Planned Parenthood out of a community, we're doing good," Heiss said. "Planned Parenthood, although they want to put on the face of being good, they are an evil organization. They are the largest baby-killing organization in the world."
Heiss' Wisconsin-based anti-abortion group demonstrated Wednesday on Guadalupe Street near the West Mall in an event unrelated to the Planned Parenthood construction boycott.
Members, holding 4-foot photographs of aborted fetuses, started demonstrating on the South Mall but were asked to leave campus property by the UT Police Department, said Officer Tim Magill.
Wednesday was the second day of the group's two-week tour of Texas college campuses.
Chris Keys of Austin brought his wife and four children to participate in the demonstration. He said he didn't want his children to "grow up ignorant."
His daughter, 12-year-old Josie Keys, said she was passing out literature and holding up posters of aborted fetuses because she loves babies and wants them to be saved.
"It makes me feel sad that things like that happen, and that's why I'm here - because I want to change that," she said.
Jessica Baruch, a sociology senior, said the posters of aborted fetuses made her want to "throw up."
"They're just trying to scare you, to gross you out. It's not really the right way to go about it," Baruch said. "It should be our choice whether or not we want to see large photographs of dead bodies."
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