Planned Parenthood protests exclusion from health fair

HELENA — About a dozen people picketed outside a health fair sponsored by the Independent Record in Helena to protest the exclusion of Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Stacey Anderson told the Great Falls Tribune that her organization was invited to join the more than 60 health and wellness businesses and organizations exhibiting at the fifth annual event held Thursday at the Helena Civic Center.

But about a week ago, the IR returned the group's registration fees, Anderson said.

"They said they decided not to let either side (of the abortion debate) exhibit," she said.

IR publisher Randy Rickman told The Associated Press on Friday that the newspaper was not targeting Planned Parenthood. The group's participation in the fair two years ago prompted an anti-abortion group to try to secure a table next to it, he said.

Neither side was invited to participate in last year's fair because the newspaper did not want to provide a forum for either side's political agenda. The same was planned for this year's fair, but Planned Parenthood was inadvertently included in a bulk e-mail sent out about the fair, Rickman said.

Planned Parenthood provides a variety of family planning, medical, counseling and educational services, including abortion services, Anderson said.

"We are deeply disappointed that our local paper is choosing to censor our community, our providers and dismiss our patients," she said.