Ian Gallagher is back outside of the Everett, Washington, Planned Parenthood, after a Washington district court judge dismissed an abortion promoter’s claims against the pro-life advocate on March 8, 2023, as “not credible.” Thomas More Society secured a Washington state-based attorney to represent Gallagher, a pro-life sidewalk counselor, in Snohomish County District Court against an abortion supporter’s disingenuous attempt to obtain an order of protection against him.

The intersection of 32nd and Hoyt in downtown Everett, Washington, is a scene of frequent controversy. The Planned Parenthood abortion facility sits across the corner from the nonprofit pregnancy resource center, Two Hearts Pregnancy Aid. Police regularly erect barricades at the site as abortion proponents shout across them at the pro-life sidewalk counselors, who are there to share life affirming alternatives with abortion bound women.

In January 2023, one of those abortion promoters, Cynthia Tamlyn, falsely accused Gallagher of misbehavior and petitioned the court for an order of protection, claiming that he unlawfully harassed her. Tamlyn’s accusations prompted a court visit to the Planned Parenthood site, as well as a court viewing of video with audio recordings of the incident resulting in Tamlyn’s accusations.

“If the pro-abortion activist had been successful in obtaining a protection order against Mr. Gallagher,” explained Thomas More Society Senior Counsel Matt Heffron, “it likely would have prevented him from counseling outside the abortion clinic for a considerable length of time. Ian and his wife are known to be peaceful and effective pro-life sidewalk counselors.”

“It’s very important to us that peaceful sidewalk counselors are not bullied out of existence,” added Heffron.  “That’s why the Thomas More Society goes to bat for them when they’re threatened…and particularly when threatened by a clear injustice like this one.”

In May 2021, Thomas More Society attorneys threatened a lawsuit concerning the same abortion facility, where the City of Everett was attempting to enforce an unconstitutional police policy that would have forced pro-life sidewalk counselors off of the public right of way in front of the Planned Parenthood. Having been shown the illegalities of the matter, the city backed down and avoided legal action.