Montana Women's Run tries to ban free speech
Canvassers collecting signatures for reproductive rights repeatedly told to leave public event
Canvassers collecting signatures on behalf of Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, a “citizen-led initiative working to secure reproductive rights, including the right to an abortion, for Montanans in our state constitution,” were repeatedly harassed by Montana Women's Run organizers at their May 11, 2024 event in downtown Billings, Montana.
After they were repeatedly threatened to have police escort them out of the event and harassed, canvassers stood their ground and asserted their constitutional rights to be on public property at a public event against the intimidation tactics.
Nonetheless, even after it was confirmed to Women's Run Organizers by Sergeant Nate West who was apparently told by the Attorney General Austin Knudsen the canvassers were doing was in fact legal under the First Amendment, an organizer of the event took the microphone on the stage to lie and announce to the crowed gathered after the race, “There are canvassers present, they are not supposed to be here, so ignore them!"
Disclosure: I showed up right during this time as one of these signature gatherers, and while I wasn't present for the initial harassment, I was still told very loudly—as well as the people I was asking for signatures—I “wasn't supposed to be here!” by a woman who I presume was very anti-choice regarding reproductive freedoms.
One canvass leader/organizer noted to those being harassed at the event words of encouragement:
Just because they have a certain world view and they want to shout about it, that doesn’t mean our voices, and the voices of other Montanans can’t be heard. They have no right to trample on our constitutionally protected freedoms. Remember that you’re doing a good thing, in a completely legal manner. Keep up the good work. Don’t let em win.
As the Women's Run event winded down, another anti-abortion lady came up to me after a Native women I know had just signed and told me, "I just want you to know this was NOT the time nor place to be doing what you're doing!"
To which I calmly replied, "Actually, it was the perfect place. We gotta lot of signatures."
Canvassers collecting signatures for reproductive freedoms have faced a lot of vile behavior from anti-choice fanatics beyond the usual being yelled at with insults (I've been called a “demon who is going to hell” amongst many things as well as of course a lot of transphobic insults), including being followed in vehicles and recorded with cameras. One young canvasser was followed on the street for nearly an hour by a man harassing him even as his wife pleaded with him to leave this young person alone.
The Supreme Court said let the states decide on the issue of abortion, so we are gonna do all we can to make that happen despite the insults, harassment, intimidation tactics, and even institutional pushback it entails because despite their ugliest and worst behavior, our democracy in action is beautiful.
It's all about embracing truth and friendship.