Operation Rescue Suspends Protests in Buffalo : Abortion: The announcement brings an early end to a planned two-week campaign to shut down clinics.

With its ranks thinned by arrests and its protests meeting determined opposition from abortion-rights advocates, Operation Rescue on Wednesday indefinitely suspended its planned two-week Spring for Life campaign to shut down abortion clinics in the western New York city of Buffalo.

“The Spring for Life will be engaged in prayer and fasting for an indefinite time period,” said Karen Swallow Prior, a spokeswoman for the national anti-abortion group, adding that she did not know when, if ever, the campaign might resume.

But Operation Rescue leaders hastened to say that the suspension of protests outside clinics does not mean that they and their partisans are going to pack up and leave Buffalo soon.

“We will definitely be here until Saturday and, as always, will be directing activities day by day,” said the group’s national director, the Rev. Keith Tucci.

The Buffalo campaign, which was modeled after a 46-day offensive last summer in Wichita, Kan., that resulted in 2,600 arrests, was launched over Easter weekend with a series of rallies at a local church, and originally was scheduled to last until Saturday.

Operation Rescue leaders denied that their decision Wednesday was prompted by their dwindling numbers and the united front that abortion-rights advocates presented to counter their efforts.

Unlike the outcome in Wichita, Operation Rescue’s efforts in Buffalo failed to shut down a clinic. Abortion-rights activists formed human shields around the facilities to prevent abortion opponents from blockading entrances during the 10 days of full-scale protests at the four clinics targeted by Operation Rescue.

Abortion-rights leaders claimed victory after the announcement. But they said they are not dropping their guard because of the possibility that Operation Rescue’s latest move might be a ruse.

“We are going full steam ahead with organizing and mobilizing clinics until the threat of Operation Rescue is clearly gone,” said Dianne Mathiowetz, a spokeswoman for Buffalo United for Choice, a group formed four months ago to counter Operation Rescue.

More than 400 people, the overwhelming majority of them antiabortion activists, have been arrested since Operation Rescue launched its offensive. More than 200 remain in custody.

Among those arrested were three Operation Rescue leaders who were charged with contempt of court for allegedly violating an injunction prohibiting abortion foes from blockading clinics.