KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A judge granted on Wednesday a temporary injunction filed against Planned Parenthood in Kissimmee that prevents the office from performing medical procedures, including abortions.
The attorney for the complex of the new Planned Parenthood location on Oak Commons Boulevard, MMB Properties, said they filed for the injunction on July 14 and the judge granted it on Wednesday.
The injunction would prevent certain procedures from being performed at the location because of violating community restrictions.
"Our client is very pleased with today's ruling," MMB said in a statement to Local 6. "We believe the Court properly enforced the restrictive covenants that prohibit outpatient surgical centers at the medical park. Our client looks forward to returning to the peaceable practice of medicine."
Critics have long said the clinic violated community restrictions, even though it's located across from Osceola Regional Medical Center and next to a cancer center.
If Planned Parenthood can't do abortions, they may not be able to stay open. For some this is considered a victory, for others, it's a huge blow.
"That is my daughter, her name is Krystal Hayle. She just turned 8 years old," said her mother, Amanda Rodriguez.
At just 15 years old, Amanda became pregnant.
"I got pregnant young. I didn't want to tell my mom cause I was afraid of getting in trouble, so I did go to Planned Parenthood one time to get ideas on how to be safe," said Rodriguez.
She supports the clinic, but since Kissimmee's Planned Parenthood opened up in May, it has been met with controversy.
It sits in the Oak Commons Medical Park, right across from a hospital.
"You can look out the windows of labor and delivery and you can see women walking into and out of an abortion clinic," said Family Physician Doctor John Littell. Dr. Littell has been very vocal about not welcoming the center.
"It specifically states that no one should come in here and open a surgical center, perform surgical procedures, without the permission from the rest of the folks in here," said Dr. Littell.
The clinic planned to start abortions in August.
Planned Parenthood released a statement on Wednesday, saying, "We are disappointed in today's ruling and plan to appeal. Planned Parenthood will continue providing essential reproductive health services at our new Kissimmee Health Center, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect women's access to care."
The Planned Parenthood's May opening marks the third location in Central Florida and has been subject to protests from those who oppose the clinic being built in Osceola County because it will provide abortions.
In April, a bomb squad was called in to investigate a suspicious package with an unknown substance that was left at the center. Kissimmee police say it was put there intentionally. A day earlier, someone tried breaking into the facility after hundreds showed up to a City Commission meeting to protest.