Dozens of young people who oppose abortion gathered this morning to tell the media of the group’s intentions to protest an abortion clinic that might come to Chattanooga.

The event was held at the supposed future site of an abortion clinic on Hixson Pike. Young people ranging from about age 6 to mid-20s spoke to media representatives at the press event, organized by Charles Wysong, president of the American Rights Coalition. The Chattanooga-based advocacy group gives counseling and support to women who have had abortions.

Sixteen-year-old Stephen Wysong, the son of Charles Wysong, said the group was gathered “to tell the abortion clinic, or whoever’s opening it, that he’s not welcome here, and we just don’t want an abortion clinic here in Chattanooga.”

Controversy over a rumored abortion clinic began in July when abortion opponents here noticed a Web site claiming that an abortion clinic was coming to Chattanooga, which has not had an abortion clinic since the early 1990s.

The Web site — www.tnabortion.com — previously said a clinic would be opening in Chattanooga in August but now simply lists a number for Chattanooga.

The anti-abortion advocates maintain that the site of a future abortion clinic will be an office building at 4066 Hixson Pike. They say that Charlotte, N.C.-based Preferred Woman’s Health Center intends to open the clinic here, but employees at Preferred Woman’s have denied that they intend to move to Chattanooga.

Members of Teenagers Against Abortion, also called Teenagers for an Abortion-Free Chattanooga, said the group plans to open chapters in the other cities in which Preferred Woman’s Health Center has clinics, which are Augusta, Ga.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Charlotte, N.C.

For complete details see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.