It was a mix of messages in front of the Planned Parenthood on Goodlette-Frank Road in Naples on Wednesday: pro-life protesters with signs saying "Save A Life," and pro-choice counter-protesters with their own signs saying "I support Planned Parenthood."
This Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of 40 Days For Life, an international pro-life campaign during Lent that seeks to put an end to abortion.
"I, as a Catholic, am going to fight this fight," said pro-life protester Janice Hoeschler. "We're going to stop paying to kill babies with abortions at Planned Parenthood. We're trying to save babies that can;t say anything."
Supporters of Planned Parenthood said that it provides vital health care to women with low incomes, and they are concerned the nonprofit organization's funding could be cut by Washington.
"Planned Parenthood does some really wonderful work," said pro-choice protester Suzanne Cherney. "They do mammograms to prevent breast cancer."
Pro-lifer Carol Gentile said Planned Parenthood shouldn't get funding from taxpayers.
"If you want an abortion...I can't judge you," Gentile said. "But my money should not be paying for it."
"There is maybe one percent of the things that they do that people don't approve of, but remember, that one percent is not done with taxpayer money," Cherney said.
Cherney said that Planned Parenthood encourages women with unwanted pregnancies to consider adoption first.
Anti-abortion protesters said that they plan to continue protesting in front of the Naples Planned Parenthood Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., until April 9.
