After Friday's killing spree at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood, in which three people were killed, sister clinics in Tennessee opened their doors for the first time Monday.
They said they're working with police to add extra patrols to the area.
"Hopefully it's gonna deter any violence or attacks against our facilities," said Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee President Jeff Teague.
All staff reported for work but they said the threat was very real.
"We live with those threats every day. We get threatening phone calls, mail all the time," Teague said.
Teague joined the national Planned Parenthood office in condemning anti-abortion politicians, claiming they created the environment that helped incite the violence. They believe the response, after a video surfaced several months ago allegedly showing doctors discussing the sale of fetal tissue, is to blame.
"Things that have been proven by many independent sources not to be true but they keep repeating those lies and using inflammatory language," Teague said.
Many on the right have responded to those accusations.
"This is so typical of the left to immediately begin demonizing the messenger," said GOP hopeful Carly Fiorina.
Teague specifically pointed to Tennessee's US Congressmen Marsha Blackburn and Diane Black who were on the latest committee to investigate abortion clinics.
They each issued statements to Newschannel 5.
Blackburn said:
“The shootings in Colorado are deplorable. There is no place for this kind of violence in our country. Instead of playing politics with this tragedy, maybe those on the left like Senator Barbara Boxer should actually take the time to read the resolution establishing the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives. At no point does it mention Planned Parenthood. We are focused on a fact-finding mission into abortion practices and fetal tissue procurement and the relationship between the two businesses.”
Black said:
“The heart of the pro-life movement is a heart of compassion. We advocate for the dignity and value of every human life; born and unborn – including those with whom we may disagree. Friday’s heinous attack in Colorado Springs is an affront to that message and is antithetical to the true nature of the pro-life movement. The use of violence in response to the violence of abortion is never acceptable. I join pro-life leaders from across the country in condemning this attack in the strongest terms possible and in praying for the victims and their families.”
Neither specifically responded to Teague's accusation that their rhetoric may have played a roll in inciting the violence. He says there have been six violent attacks against Planned Parenthoods across the country since summertime, including arson and people wielding fire bombs. In Tennessee, the Knoxville clinic was vandalized with ketchup squirted all over the building.
He said for now the clinics will keep a close watch for anything suspicious here at home.
Planned Parenthood in Nashville and Knoxville serve up to 19,000 patients per year, mostly for regular exams, birth control and screenings. Teague said they perform around 3,300 abortions per year.
