Annual pro-life rally sees big turnout

MOSES LAKE — Mark Krcma, the pro-life chairman of the Knights of Columbus in Moses Lake, thought numbers might be down for the annual pro-life rally at the intersection of Stratford and Valley roads because of the pandemic.

This was not the case.

Around 200 protesters of all ages occupied the sidewalks on both sides of the streets on Sunday, carrying signs beneath a symphony of honking horns, cheers and a handful of jeers.

“Planned Parenthood kills more people than COVID every week” read one banner draped on the back of a parked car in the Penhallurick True Value lot.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic charitable fraternal organization, Krcma said. The Moses Lake chapter has about 125 members. Weather permitting, they’ve held pro-life rallies every January since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973.

The rally meant to “draw attention to the fact that man’s laws don’t always coincide with God’s laws,” Krcma said. “This is a way to voice our opinion.”

While Krcma said he doesn’t feel abortion rights are a special concern in the area, the protesters’ message is for both state and national legislatures. If Roe v. Wade becomes overturned nationally, state laws would still pertain, Krcma said.

Crossroads Pregnancy Resource Center staff attended Sunday’s rally. Their mission is to provide “affirming practical services and emotional and spiritual support for women and men,” said executive director Carol Knopp.

An ideal outcome of the rally would be for people to have “a greater awareness of the importance of life, and people in the community in general being more supportive and helping others around issues of life,” she said.

Cars and people covered the asphalt of Penhallurick’s hardware store and the nearby Circle K gas station, but it didn’t have any effect on business, said Jessica Mermolejo, an employee of the Tacos Mi Casa drive-thru in the center of the lot.

Rick Penhallurick, owner of Penhallurick’s True Value, said he is pretty used to the annual demonstration.

“Everybody has a right to demonstrate,” he said. “So I try to support the people of my community.”

Sam Fletcher can be reached at sfletcher@columbiabasinherald.com.