Greenville County councilmember to introduce resolution to shutter Women's Clinic

Greenville County Council will hear a resolution Tuesday night seeking to eradicate Greenville Women’s Clinic by revoking its business license.

Behind the resolution is Republican Councilmember Stan Tzouvelekas – no stranger to an anti-abortion stance.

Tzouvelekas’ resolution classifies the clinic as a nuisance business due to heavy police response surrounding clashes between clinic defenders and anti-abortion protesters. It asks the county administrator to request the Department of General Services to revoke the business license of the clinic.

The resolution states the Department of General Services can “suspend or revoke any business registration whose business constitutes a public nuisance, where there are frequent arrest of persons, among other things, excessive noise, disorderly conduct, disturbance of peace and illegal acts that correspond with or relate to the hours of operation.”

It also states the Department of General Services can revoke business licenses for businesses that do not “provide sufficient security measures to protect people and property located on the premises.”

Property rights, freedom of speech could present issue for resolution

Some experts don’t think the resolution has a legal leg to stand on.

Derek Black, a professor of law at the Joseph F. Rice School of Law in Columbia, says property rights and freedom of speech could present an issue for the resolution.

“If the problem is private citizens unrelated to the business, then it would seem that those are the ones that you know, you would normally act upon rather than the business itself,” Black said. “And if you’re dealing with those private citizens, then there’s free speech issues because people have a right to protest.”

Black said that even if the above issues did not present a challenge, there would still need to be due process, as the clinic would still have property rights.

Is resolution political tactic as 2024 election season nears?

Others say the resolution is a political tactic as the 2024 election season nears.

“We’re on the precipice of re-election season and these kinds of antics happen, so this should be no surprise to anyone,” Greenville County Councilmember Ennis Fant (District 25) said. “Here’s the real point that Stan needs to understand about going after abortion rights. It is not a winning political issue, not even for the extreme right. Most recent elections should have demonstrated that. Even in ruby red Greenville County, there is no appetite or desire to ban access to abortions.”

Resolution data: 82 incidents, 45 simple assaults

Tzouvelekas’ resolution also comes almost two months after an ordinance “to promote the peaceful exercise of conduct protected by the first amendment” was presented to councilmembers in relation to the conflict at the clinic and sent back to the county’s public safety committee for further review.

According to data cited in Tzouvelekas’ resolution, 82 incidents occurred within 500 feet of the clinic from June 1 to Nov. 29, with 45 simple assaults from Oct. 5 to Oct 23. Greenville County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment further on the resolution.

The previous ordinance, introduced by Mike Barnes, would have dictated where people could protest, meaning picketing could only occur on sidewalks or on the grounds of a county-owned park or plaza. It also would prohibit someone from interfering physically with “picketers’ lawful use of the sidewalk or other approved areas” or to “direct profane, abusive or threatening language at such picketers.”

If passed, it also would have prohibited picketers from wearing “any facial mask, headgear or cloth over any portion of the face that prevents facial identification of any person,” along with anything resembling a shield, armor or defensive covering, bicycles, automobiles and mopeds.

However, Greenville County Council or other council committees have not revisited the ordinance.

Tzouvelekas’ resolution aims to remove the business altogether.

South Carolina has three abortion clinics

As of now, South Carolina only has three abortion clinics, and the Greenville Women’s Clinic is the only independent clinic of the three.

Tzouvelekas’ proposal comes on the heels of a six-week abortion ban in the state.

The Upstate-based clinic has garnered political attention from anti-abortion activists for years and stands directly across from the Piedmont Women’s Center—a crisis pregnancy center, which is a faith-based non-profit that advises women against getting an abortion.

Vicki Ringer, director of public affairs at Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, called the councilman’s move a “brazen political attack” targeting a business that has long faced the presence of anti-abortion activists outside the clinic.

“Nobody should have to face shaming, judgment, harassment, or intimidation in order to get or provide health care, period. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic stands in solidarity with the Greenville Women's Clinic and its mission to provide access to abortion to the people of South Carolina,” Ringer said in a press statement.

Use of government bodies to achieve goals set by pro-life community

Greenville County GOP Chairwoman Yvonne Julian focused on the use of government bodies to achieve goals set by the pro-life community.

“The other side has looked at all sorts of alternatives to push their agenda. I think we're learning to do the same,” Julian said. “There's been a huge effort on the side of the Left to use the courts in every means possible to push the things that they believe in, and I think we're finally kind of coming to that realization.”

The legality and implication of classifying a business as a “nuisance business” remain unclear. Could revoking the business licenses of a clinic due to increased law enforcement presence set a precedent that may affect other businesses in the future?

“I’m not sure that's necessarily a valid concern,” Julian said, adding that during a county GOP prayer walk outside the clinic, Julian saw the use of bullhorns by clinic defenders to counter anti-abortion protests. “I can't imagine any other business that would attract that kind of behavior.”

'Political move to score some points with anti-abortion groups'

Kelli Parker, spokesperson for the S.C. Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN), said WREN was not surprised that the resolution made its way in front of the county council.

“Anti-abortion politicians will continue to attempt to either eliminate or limit access to abortion in South Carolina,” Parker said, adding that Tzouvelekas’ resolution was “a very unique tactic” and something that reproductive rights had not seen previously.

“Businesses should be allowed to operate as they see fit regardless of manufacturer or safety concerns. Other businesses get protested all the time,” Parker said.

It’s not the first time Tzouvelekas presented something to council relating to abortion.

In 2022, Tzouvelekas introduced a “right-to-life" ordinance to “support a statewide abortion ban sought by anti-abortion activists and some Republicans in South Carolina,” according to previous reporting by The Greenville News.

The ordinance was never voted on or passed by council.

“It's already well known that he's for (Greenville County) being a no abortion, sanctuary county, and this is just another step that he's trying to make in that direction,” Greenville County Democratic Party Chair Amanda McDougald Scott said, who referred to Tzouvelekas’ proposal as a “political move to score some points with anti-abortion groups.”

Savannah Moss covers Greenville County politics and growth/development. Reach her at smoss@gannett.com or follow her on X @savmoss.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville County councilmember aims to shutter Women's Clinic