Kentucky’s last chance

Simeon Kenney (middle) kneels with his father (right), Pat Kenney, in prayer during an anti-abortion protest on April 14 in Louisville, Ky. Protests happen throughout the week at the EMW Women’s Surgical center, the last abortion provider in Kentucky. Simeon, brought by his parents, will come to the clinic every couple months or whenever they can.

The EMW women’s Clinic in Lexington, one of the two remaining clinics, closed on Jan. 27, making EMW Women’s Surgical Center the last clinic that offers abortion services to women in the state of Kentucky. Gov. Matt Bevin and his administration are currently seeking to shut down Kentucky’s only abortion provider, which would make Kentucky the only state with no abortion access to residents. Throughout the week from roughly 7 am to 9 am, protestors will gather on the side-walk and surrounding areas of the clinic. A pro-choice group, Louisville Clinic Escorts, will come throughout the week as well to help women get into the building  and protect them from harassment by protestors. Escorts wear bright orange vests that read “pro-choice clinic escort” to differentiate themselves, and will create a human barrier around the property line of th clinic, which protestors are not allowed to cross. Protestors will often engage in prayer, approach  women, display  graphic images of aborted fetuses or preach  sermons over a loud speaker. Differences in methods of protests often coincide with differences in religious affiliations.