Over 3,000 people gathered at the Utah state Capitol Tuesday evening to protest against Governor Gary Herbert’s order to stop federal funding to the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah (PPAU).

The decision, made by the governor of Utah, came after the release of covert videos reportedly showing Planned Parenthood officials negotiating over the price of fetal tissue.

Bruce Rigby, Founder of ProLife Utah, said that he doesn’t have a problem with Planned Parenthood providing sex education and contraceptives but spent “countless hours” researching the videos and believes the organisation is “corrupt at the highest levels.”

The specific area of funding being targeted by the governor’s order is for sex education in high schools and STD/STI testing.

Ryan LaRe, Vice President of Students for choice at Westminster College said, “Regardless of this executive order, Planned Parenthood will always be providing healthcare in Utah.

“On campus, Students for Choice is dedicated to informing college students that Planned Parenthood is here for them and won’t be going anywhere.”

The Governor alone does not have the authority to discontinue Planned Parenthood’s federal funding but he aims to get state agencies to stop directing money to PPAU.

Utah Senator Jim Debakis, Utah Representative Anglea Romero and President of Students for Choice Leah Weisgal (Photo property of Ryan LaRe)

A few local lawmakers were at the rally including Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck, Senator Jim Dabakis and Representative Angela Romero.

Leah Weisgal, the President of Students for Choice got the opportunity to speak with these leaders at the event.

Mx LaRe says that this issue on funding is important because it’s “playing politics with our healthcare” and sex education itself is important.

Days after his initial announcement, Governor Herbert said that his decision is not that of anti women’s health.

He continued to say, “Let me emphasise, we really do care about women’s health [and] the idea that women’s health will be shortchanged in this process is not accurate”.

Students for Choice at Westminster College said that they will be wearing pink every Tuesday until Governor Herbert’s decision is overturned.