I was the COO of an OB/GY group of 60 physicians including two that operated an abortion clinic. I opposed us having an abortion clinic as did most of the OB/GYNs in the group, but legally the two physicians had a right to operate one. Does that answer your question?

Peacefully protesting outside their clinic was an American right, though given the rash of bombings one might argue that even on public property, the protestors should protest a safe distance from such locations and clearly not within range of harassing patients, staff, or physicians that work at the facility.

Committing violence, protesting in front of someone's home, harassing them away from the clinic would have been totally inappropriate and should be illegal. The best way to address your grievances is in the voter booth and the protesting absent any harassment and intimidation is perfectly okay.

But to your point, I would certainly have called the police on group that tried to harass or intimidate women seeking abortions or having had one, even a woman getting a late term abortion even an "illegal" one under state law. Wrong is wrong, no matter the justification.

The government should prosecute crimes, not the public. And intimidation and harassment are forms of violence and out of bounds in my book.

The same thing would be true of harassing election workers, union officials, gun control advocates, etc. Why would or should it make any difference?

I suspect my response surprises you... my personal feelings on abortion should play no role in what is okay or not okay... hopefully, you feel the same way.