Hundreds Hold Pro-Life Vigil Outside Clinic of Infamous Late-Term Abortionist

By Eric Young, Christian Post Reporter Sunday, July 15, 2007

Around 500 pro-lifers gathered outside the abortion clinic of infamous late-term abortionist George Tiller to kick off a three-day prayer event seeking revival, spiritual awakening, and an end to abortion.

Tiller, one of the few U.S. physicians performing late-term abortions, faces 19 misdemeanor charges in Sedgwick County District Court but earlier this month filed a legal challenge to the constitutionality of part of a Kansas law restricting late-term procedures.

As they kicked off the Wichita Awakening Saturday night with the Candlelight Vigil, the crowd of pro-lifers surrounded Tiller's clinic, lifting their hands in prayer that the abortion clinic would close and that abortion would end.

"There needs to be a public outcry against this injustice like there has never been seen before!" exclaimed Troy Newman, president of the pro-life group Operation Rescue, shortly after Tiller's attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the charges against the abortion provider. They claimed the requirement of two doctors who are financially and legally independent of one another to sign off on late-term procedures is unconstitutional and is an unnecessary burden on a physician's right to practice medicine.

Tiller has been accused several times of performing illegal late-term abortions and offering only vague reasons why the operation is necessary.

Present at the Candlelight Vigil outside of Tiller's clinic were hundreds of young people who are traveling across the country to San Francisco after joining last weekend's "The Call," which drew some 100,000 believers to Nashville to pray for the nation to turn around from what many see as a moral decline.

"Young people continue to pour into town and more are expected to arrive on Sunday," said Newman, in statement released after Saturday's opening event. "We believe that we are seeing a tremendous movement of God. We are blessed to be a part of this amazing event."

Also present Saturday were Norma McCorvey, the former "Roe" of Roe v. Wade; Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America; Danielle Versluys of Survivors; Brandi Swindell of Generation Life; the Rev. Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition; and the Rev. Rob Schenck of Faith and Action, who led Saturday night's vigil.

On Sunday, the group will gather at Tiller's clinic in the afternoon for more prayer led by CWA's Wright and will hold a praise and worship service at the Mid-America Indian Center from 7 p.m. to midnight. The event is scheduled to conclude Monday evening.