Abortion Protester Met By Neighborhood Counter-Protest (VIDEO)

For over a month, Ross Foti, an anti-abortion activist, has been protesting a San Francisco Planned Parenthood center on Valencia and Duncan streets, using extremely graphic oversized photographs of aborted fetuses and signs that read "repent or burn" to help express his message.

After five weeks, the neighbors had had enough.

"It's really a neighborhood response, in this case a really organic neighborhood response, that he's not welcome," said local resident Jennifer Beach. Beach is one of many residents who have organized a counter-protest against Foti, showing solidarity with the clinic. A news video by Mission Local shows counter-protesters surrounding Foti's truck with a banner featuring a red circle crossing out a coat hanger, and the words, "we will never go back."

But Foti argues that the counter-protesters are violating his rights to free speech.

"They don't want free speech," said Foti. "They only want their free speech."

Foti explained that he was only trying to educate and counsel patients by letting them know that abortion is not the only option. But neighbors claim that his tactics -- threatening eternal damnation and displaying disturbing photos -- are inappropriate.

"All those posters do is tell the truth," said Foti in response. "It's up to the patients to make up their minds. They have a mind of their own."

But Beach and others argue that Foti's signs and actions are creating a hostile environment for patients.

"Women who come for abortions are often not completely happy to be here, it's not the greatest moment in their life," explained Beach. "And to have this person yelling that they're going to burn in hell if they kill their child is really an obstacle to health care. And I'm all about breaking down obstacles to health care."

Check out the controversy in Mission Local's video below:

(CAUTION: Extremely graphic images.)

Comments

[absurdifiable]

12:38 AM on 10/25/2011

What about the rights of living children who have to view these signs? Children have one obligation: post-pone suffering as long as reasonably possible; they don't need this garbage.

That said, I'm skeptical of the authenticity of these signs. The sign on the far left depicts an adult cranium bearing a skin-graft of BBQ chicken. Looks guess religious propaganda art is a dying medium.

[Sarah L Terzo]

08:23 PM on 10/03/2011

Question:

What has a heart and a brain, five finger, five toes, human dna, and a face, but is not a person?

a. An Africa American Slave in 1820
b. An unborn baby in 2011

According to the Centers for Disease control, the majority of abortions take place after six weeks, when there is heartbeat and brain waves and the beginnings of fingers and toes (see The Endowment of Human Development http://www.ehd.org/movies-index.php) The pictures on the sign were of nine to ten weeks old (I have seen those pictures before,labeled) 42% of abortions take place at this time or later. So yes, these are representative of the babies being killed.

http://clinicquotes.com/site/story.php?id=175

[jerryfromcalifornia]

12:01 PM on 10/04/2011

Its not your business what another person does with their body, mind your own business. The Bible says not to judge others, good advice.

[Politidelic]

03:24 PM on 10/03/2011

If I had seen this clown I would have joined the counter protest. I live just a couple blocks away but never saw it. I love how he claims the counter protesters are violating his first amendment rights. Ignorance is bliss and Ross Foti proves it.

[icedover4ever]

01:23 PM on 10/05/2011

Both sides have the right to protest. Neither has the right to stop the other.

[Wheelo]

02:16 PM on 10/03/2011

My goodness. Ross Foti still at it. I used to do clinic defense at Bay Area Planned Parenthoods back in the 80's, and Ross was always kind of a scary dude. We used to give him a wide berth because he always looked like he was ready to go postal.

Nice to see the local neighborhood taking a stance.

[Bobbie Jo Justice]

12:17 PM on 10/02/2011

If the fetus you save is gay, will you still fight for its rights?

[Sarah L Terzo]

08:12 PM on 10/03/2011

Yes. Yes I would. I was happy to march with PLAGAL - the Pro-life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians in Washington on the March for Life- though I am straight, and I am going to a friend's gay wedding this Saturday to support him. Next question.

[Bobbie Jo Justice]

09:17 PM on 10/03/2011

and you'll support marriage for ALL consenting adults, thats a good start.

now we need to get people out the business of thinking they have a right to tell women what they can and cant do with their own bodies.

[Patrick Wm Connally]

08:25 AM on 10/02/2011

Every child should be a wanted child. Children should not be born because your religon forces you to. A child should be a joy not a forced burden put on families.

I feel sorry for the man who religion has drivien to anti socail behavior, he is not saintly, has no intelligent following, and ends up very alone. Where are the liberal church people or the always excuse, they are not our kind of christian.? Religion again will not pick up the mess they leave for secular taxpayers to pick up. The beligerent man, the women, the community all loose on this deal.

Bravo to the neighbors for getting this guy out of their face. To bad the man will most likely never recieve the secular healthcare he needs to live a better life.

[3RawBob]

05:38 PM on 10/01/2011

The headline story in my local newspaper is about a woman protesting abortion. She said she had an abortion when she was young, and never had children. She now wants to ban all abortions.

The pro-choice people I know are not pro-abortion. They want a safe legal option available if needed.

I wish the protesters would instead demand better availability of contraception, thus reducing the need for abortions.

[anthonybrown]

10:43 AM on 10/02/2011

Contraception IS readily available. Try the local Kwiki Mart. People just don't use them. After all, condoms do reduce pleasure, and who wants that?

[Bud Latanville]

02:52 PM on 10/04/2011

I have the two most beautiful sons, whom I love dearly.
I have two beautiful sons courtesy of failures of the pill, and a failed condom.
There is no such thing as 100% contraception...

[REDSTATEREFUGEE]

11:39 AM on 10/01/2011

I have always been impressed with the correlation of middle aged or older, white males in pro-life protest groups, while those favoring pro-choice are generally female, the gender most heavily affected by the abortion issue.

[anthonybrown]

10:50 AM on 10/02/2011

Actually, look up some statistics before you post. According to the most recent Gallup poll, 49% of men identify themselves as "pro-choice" and 46% of men identify themselves as "pro-life." For women, it is 50% "pro-choice" and 44% "pro-life."

Regarding your other comment, those favoring pro-choice tend to be older than nine months. Those who are less than nine months old have zero choice on the issue, even though they are the age group "most heavily affected by the abortion issue."

[Heleric]

12:29 PM on 10/02/2011

What? Are you claiming that a fetus is a person? They are no more a person then an egg is a chicken. If you don't like abortions, don't have one. Otherwise mind your own business.

[Politidelic]

03:28 PM on 10/03/2011

Regarding the end of your comment: sounds like the rant of a insane person.

[RyanCSmith]

10:53 AM on 10/01/2011

Newflash Mr. Foti:

Freedom of speech does not equal freedom from criticism. Suck it up and deal with it.

[any mouse]

07:47 AM on 10/01/2011

Foti should be glad the neighbors are civilized and just counter demonstrate.

Considering how many anti-abortion people are violent, he should be glad that the other side isn't violent.

Foti should also take a Constitutional law class. When he does, he will discover that people wanting to run him out of town is NOT a violation of "free speech" since that only applies to the government. Other citizens have no restrictions on how they react to him other than they can't kill or maim him (physical assault).

The neighbors have every right to shut him up.

[southingtonian]

01:04 AM on 10/01/2011

fallacious

[southingtonian]

01:03 AM on 10/01/2011

Abortion does NOT cause breast cancer. One more falacious scare tactic.

[dbrett480]

10:17 PM on 09/30/2011

Nice to know that San Franciscans only respect free speech when it is politically correct to do so.

[RyanCSmith]

10:54 AM on 10/01/2011

Freedom of speech does not give the speaker immunity from criticism. If he wants to say something in the public square he can deal with the response from the public.

[G D]

02:19 PM on 10/01/2011

Regarding San Francisco that is so far from the truth.

[The Corporate Champion]

09:36 PM on 09/30/2011

4 people is a protest now?

"You don't know abortion until you see it."

Ross Foti 2012.

[zombywulf]

02:31 AM on 10/01/2011

your rock is calling

[patches04]

06:44 PM on 10/01/2011

The Corporate Champion, was he an abortion?

[eyecon]

08:42 PM on 09/30/2011

"For over a month, Ross Foti, an anti-abortion activist, has been protesting a San Francisco Planned Parenthood . . . "

Mr. Foti is most certainly NOT an "anti-abortion activist." Mr. Foti is an anti-choice activist. Words are important and there is a big difference in these words. To label anti-choice zealots as anti-abortion suggests that pro-choice activists are pro abortion. That is simply not the case.

Indeed, if one takes the time review the decision in Roe v Wade, Roe is about privacy. It also affirms that the government should not get between a woman and her doctor when it comes to making medical decisions. Roe doesn't promote, or condone, abortion. Neither, for that matter, does Planned Parenthood.

The notion that women lack the capacity to make an important medical decision without the consent and advice of these sanctimonious crackpots is insulting to those same women. IT IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS! They should worry about their own families and their own children.

[anthonybrown]

10:54 AM on 10/02/2011

You are absolutely correct in your logic. Let's apply it equally, shall we? To suggest someone is a "pro-choice" activist means they are for the right of an high school senior (provided she is 18) to put heroin and crack into her body. It is to be for the right for her to visit the Kevorkian Clinic for physician-assisted suicide when she gets a D on her French test.

You're not for repealing the laws against that? Then you are NOT pro-choice! Those decisions are NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!! If your daughter wants to have herself killed, they do not need your "sanctimonious consent and advice."

[KenMoore]

01:40 PM on 10/02/2011

That would be correct.