Windsor

Outspoken pro-life activist Earl Amyotte retrieved five pro-life picket signs from Windsor police a month after they were taken from him and other protestors demonstrating against abortions being performed at Windsor Western Hospital.

Mr. Amyotte said that the officer who took the signs July 14 cited a bylaw against putting them in the ground or against a fence.

However, no charges were laid because when Mr. Amyotte went to inquire at the police station he said police could not tell him what section of the bylaw he had violated.

The police action occurred after James Broderick, executive director of Windsor Western Hospital notified the city of the “violation.”  Broderick argues that he did not object to the pro-life picketing in front of his hospital but only that “It was the idea of conforming to the current city bylaw.”

Mr. Amyotte said that the confiscation of picket signs in front of Windsor Western was designed to intimidate the protesters.  “The war of nerves has now escalated to the point where the hospital board has put some pressure on the administration to do something about it.  In a time of moral crisis one is known by the enemies one makes.  We picket because someone should be at the foot of the cross when little babies are crucified.  We will continue to protest and not be intimidated by city bureaucracy of hospital executives,” he said.

CAS

Strategies changing

On Monday afternoon, July 23, picketers at the Harbord Street abortuary in Toronto re-evaluated strategy.  First, it was clear that the abortionists had developed a network to funnel referrals to their national test-case killing center.  This was obvious from the increasing traffic into the abortuary.  Also, after seven months of operation Scott and his staff were becoming more arrogant.  Now they often mocked picketers as police continued to protect their abortion business.  At the same time the number of picketers was down.  Above all there was a noticeable decline in public awareness about the continued operation of the abortuary.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was the arrest of picketer Dan McCash that morning.  Dan had been very effective as a verbal conscience to Scott and his accomplices.  McCash’s bail condition (an order to stay away from the abortuary) had not even been imposed on the abortionists when they were arrested on far more serious charges.

The sit-in begins

By Tuesday morning five pro-lifers decided that a sit-in inside the abortuary was much-needed action that was long overdue.  Tom and Barbara Brown, Annette McLoughlin, Antonio Canhoto and Stephen Jalsevac met at the abortuary at 9 a.m. and planned their strategy.  After a few anxious hours and much prayer their opportunity came at 12:35 as clinic staffer Andrea Wright returned from lunch.  When she unlocked the font door, Stephen rushed to hold the door open while the other four slipped in behind him, ran up to the second floor waiting area and sat down in an office.

Looking up to the third floor killing area, they saw two women in hospital gowns being shuffled quickly from one room into another.

The pro-lifers were asked to leave first by staff and them by abortionist Scott.  Spokesman Tom Brown stated their refusal to leave the illegal establishment and indicated his intention to make a citizen’s arrest of abortuary staff and Scott.  He requested that police be called immediately.  While waiting for police the “sit-ins” sang pro-life songs or talked non-stop to the abortionists. Five officers arrived after approximately 10 minutes and there followed an unsuccessful discussion about citizen’s arrests.  The protesters were taken downstairs to the room where Stephen Jalsevac was being held.  Police wanted to remove them from the premises via the back laneway but someone had chained the back gate while the police were inside.

More police continued to arrive.  While they were detained the five pro-lifers continued non-stop to remind the police and abortuary staff about their respective responsibilities.  Although non-abusive and peaceful at all times, they refused to co-operate with the police until they arrested the abortionists.  Their chant “uphold the law” could be heard outside.  They informed the abortuary staff that they were not helping but abusing the women coming to the abortuary and encouraged them to leave this terrible work.

“Sit-ins” removed

Police finally removed the “sit-ins” through the front door and into waiting police cars that took them to 14 Division station where they were charged with trespassing.  Even at the police station the five continued to try to convince the police of their real responsibilities.

By 4 p.m. the protesters were released and went back to picketing.  Abortuary operations had been interrupted for a few hours and a valid attempt at citizen’s arrest had been made.  Thanks to surprisingly widespread media coverage, many were once again made aware that an abortuary is still functioning in Toronto with full protection of Metro police and courts.

After 8 months of picketing there is a new mood amongst pro-lifers at 85 Harbord.  After personally witnessing one mother after another, sometimes noticeably pregnant, going in to have her baby torn apart.  The activists’ priorities are changing.

Discussions with several picketers indicated that the old concerns about media and abortionist lies, about other pro-lifers illogical hypersensitivity to any pro-life activism (while babies die): about having personal motives questioned, are all going to be increasingly ignored.  The defence of the lives of the unborn and preventing distressed mothers from making the irreversible, horrible mistake of having an abortion will more consistently receive highest priority.

SJ