Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life in Derry

The community conflict over abortion that provides the backdrop for the supernatural struggle.

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The First Protests

The Battle Begins The Doll-Throwing Incident Ed Deepneau and the Friends of Life throw dolls filled with fake blood at WomanCare. The incident makes the news and polarizes the community. Both sides become more entrenched. The Wanted Poster A poster depicting Susan Day as a wanted murderer appears in a shop window. The message "KILL THIS CUNT" is written in the dust. The hatred is palpable. A Community Divided Ralph sees the conflict tearing his town apart. Neighbors argue, friendships end. The abortion debate becomes a war of words, and violence is always a threat.

The March and the Melee

Violence Erupts The Clash A pro-choice march is blocked by the Friends of Life. A brawl breaks out, with over thirty arrests. Hamilton Davenport is photographed with his fist raised. The violence shocks the town. The Escalation The conflict escalates. Both sides become more extreme. Ed Deepneau breaks away to form his own radical group. The stage is set for something worse. The Aftermath The town is on edge. The police prepare for Susan Day's speech, expecting more violence. No one knows that Ed plans a kamikaze attack.

The Aftermath of the Explosion

The Reckoning The Crash Ed's plane crashes into the Civic Center parking lot. Seventy-one people die in the panic. The abortion debate is overshadowed by the tragedy. The Community Heals In the months that follow, the protests fade. WomanCare remains open. The zoning issue is dropped. Derry slowly returns to normal, but the scars remain. A New Normal The conflict over abortion continues elsewhere, but in Derry, the violence has been contained. The town has learned that some battles are not worth fighting.

September 1993

Late September 1993

October 8, 1993, and the following days