Greenville council member calls local abortion clinic a nuisance, seeks steps to close it

A Greenville County council member has proposed stripping the business registration of a Greenville abortion provider, saying it is a nuisance because of the number of times deputies have been called during demonstrations.

The Greenville Women’s Clinic is not listed by name, but by address.

Councilman Stan Tzouvelekas introduced the resolution at a council meeting Tuesday night.

The resolution says the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office has responded to the clinic more than 300 times and has arrested 20 people. The resolution does not say the time period or what people were charged with.

Tzouvelekas also asked County Administrator Joe Kernell to report back to the council at its next meeting on why the registration should not be revoked.

The resolution received the longest applause of any item on the agenda.

The clinic is a regular spot for anti-abortion protesters.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic released a statement saying demonstrations have routinely taken place outside the clinic by anti-abortion extremists.

“These extremists are the nuisance to the community, not the providers of this essential health care,” the statement read. “This attempt to intimidate and potentially punish both health care providers and patients at the Greenville Women’s Clinic in a brazen political attack is shameful and wrong.”

Greenville Women’s Clinic has been in business since 1976 and is one of three abortion providers in South Carolina. The clinic also offers annual exams, birth control and STD treatment.

Tzouvelekas’ proposal was not discussed and not voted on but was sent to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.

This story was originally published December 6, 2023 at 8:24 AM.