Birmingham (Alabama) Police Haul and Drag Pro-Life Protesters

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According to a Life Site News article, Young pro-lifers were standing on the pavement with posters and leaflets. Before, they made sure everything was legal.

Police arrived and started dragging them to squad cars, including twisting the arms of female protesters from behind.

They hand-cuffed an 18 year old female so tight she cried from pain, it is said.

They locked them in cells for 6 hours without water or access to telephone.

Shackles on ankles were employed.

Some of the jail guards were working as security guards at an abortion clinic.

Charges on paper did not include reference to a penal statute. It was only, “charge of trespassing.”

lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021610.html

It looks like distraught consciences are flying a large hit-back at whomever upsets the delicate peace of mind of the populace supporting abortion. Nothing in the activity of the protesters was criminal and yet the reaction employed was characteristic of how people react to serious public crimes. Why this? Because of the very, very upsetting feeling that they caused. Because they caused remourse and made people question their views. The so called hate speech laws emerging world-wide are trying to make that kind of protest a real crime. Fine to preach “progress”, not fine to preach life. Those who dare suggest there’s something wrong with the liberal (morally) paradigm will be prosecuted.

In this case, however, it was a pure emotional backlash. I chose to bring this article to your attention because it shows the pro-choice reaction in its nude form. The stark contrast between the police’s public charge and its members’ purely a-legal (i.e. not so much illegal as acting as if no laws existed in the first place) actions.
 
Well, if a person is going to be a protester, some of this has to be expected and endured. Why is it a travesty? They were not writing letters to the editor.
 
I went to as many sites as I could find to dispute the pro lifers claim of free speech on public property. The closest I could find was a city claim the protesters were “on school property” as they were “in an area where buses load” in a local Birmingham newspaper. The pro lifers claim they were on public sidewalks.

The pro lifers taped the incident, so it would be an easy fix for the police to release the film. The question then becomes,why won’t the police release the property and allow the damning film be shown? Perhaps it is the chilling report that the police were allegedly overheard saying they needed to wipe the cameras that were seized, apparently to destroy exculpatory evidence. canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/8500

If in fact the protesters were within their Constitutional rights, then indeed, this rough treatment is not only not to be expected, it is a clear violation of rights under color of authority.
 
If in fact the protesters were within their Constitutional rights, then indeed, this rough treatment is not only not to be expected, it is a clear violation of rights under color of authority.
I guess we will find out during the trial. But since the protesters refused to leave when the principal requested them to leave, and since they were obstructing the school bus zone, and since they were displaying posters which could be considered to be an assault on the students, I think the police were acting within standards to arrest the protesters.
 
I guess we will find out during the trial. But since the protesters refused to leave when the principal requested them to leave, and since they were obstructing the school bus zone, and since they were displaying posters which could be considered to be an assault on the students, I think the police were acting within standards to arrest the protesters.
You phrase reflects either first hand knowledge or irrefutable evidence. Source please.
 
I’ve been following this story through Catholic Online.

Several of the police officers supposedly moonlight as security guards for the abortion clinic down there.

Here’s the list of articles from the site:

catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=32134

catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=32135

catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=32136

catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=32145

Here’s the lastest. The equipment has been returned:

catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=32182

Here’s the group’s website:

survivors.la/

And here’s the video of the incident:

youtube.com/watch?v=v3Hk7I3VMek

It’s a 10 minute video. The protesters were on a public sidewalk. They were not doing anything wrong. The police arrested them because they didn’t like the message. The question for pro-lifers is why shouldn’t you be outraged?
 
The protesters were on a public sidewalk. They were not doing anything wrong. The police arrested them because they didn’t like the message. The question for pro-lifers is why shouldn’t you be outraged?
I think the protesters need to study the tapes of the incident on the Edmund Pettus bridge. Then they can determine if their treatment was outrageous.
 
Beau Ouiville:
I think the protesters need to study the tapes of the incident on the Edmund Pettus bridge. Then they can determine if their treatment was outrageous.
You are right. That is the message the anti-life crowd and these thugs with badges and guns are sending to anyone who is pro-life isn’t it? “If you take to the streets, you will die.” Am I right?
 
You are right. That is the message the anti-life crowd and these thugs with badges and guns are sending to anyone who is pro-life isn’t it? “If you take to the streets, you will die.” Am I right?
No.

If protesters want to adopt the methods of civil rights protesters they should also consider their willingness to get thumped. But this kind of response by authorities is not some kind of conspiracy nor is it necessarily legal.

But is is certainly not a ‘travesty’ or an ‘outrage’ as it has been described.
 
You are right. That is the message the anti-life crowd and these thugs with badges and guns are sending to anyone who is pro-life isn’t it? “If you take to the streets, you will die.” Am I right?
The whole world changed when the mini cam and cell phone recording devices came into existence.

I’m ashamed of anyone who would say a violation of civil rights by police acting under color of authority “is to be expected”.

It sure hasn’t been the case when a criminal is caught on tape getting thumped by the cops…just ask “no justice, no peace” Maxine Waters or Rodney King.
 
Beau Ouiville:
No. If protesters want to adopt the methods of civil rights protesters they should also consider their willingness to get thumped. But this kind of response by authorities is not some kind of conspiracy nor is it necessarily legal.
You lost me there. Their “willingness to get thumped” or lack thereof has no relevance on justice being served.
But is is certainly not a ‘travesty’ or an ‘outrage’ as it has been described.
It sure is an outrage. I say this because I’m pro-justice and pro-life.
 
You lost me there. Their “willingness to get thumped” or lack thereof has no relevance on justice being served.It sure is an outrage. I say this because I’m pro-justice and pro-life.
Their willingness to accept legal harrassment has great relevance to their tactics used. Being arrested for trespassing, whether guilty of the charge or not, falls far short of an outrage or a travesty, no matter what a person’s particular stance.
 
The police tryed to arrest us when we did the same thing on a public sidewalk. we explained to them that their was nothing we would like more seeing we had our video camera on, they backed down.
I hope these kids sue the police dept. and etc. It is the only thing that will change things, we have a winning judgement from the 2nd circuit if they need it. I could fax a copy to anyone having trouble with their hometown police, it usually works to let them know who is right.
 
blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/02/prolife_activists_arrested_at.html

My apologies for saying the principal asked the protesters to leave. The article doesn’t say who asked them to move.
Fair enough, however, since you apparently weren’t there, and the police refuse to allow the only real evidence, IE, the tapes of the incident, to be released (an easy, easy fix, if their assessment is true) then can we be a little more charitable as to the alleged events?

We have learned several times over that what some overzealous police said happened, and what becomes apparent to the viewing audience, are two different things. :eek:
 
Their willingness to accept legal harrassment has great relevance to their tactics used. Being arrested for trespassing, whether guilty of the charge or not, falls far short of an outrage or a travesty, no matter what a person’s particular stance.
Compared to the “legal” murder of innocent babies by their own mother and father , then I agree that being arrested for trespassing is not an outrage or a travesty.

The spreading of lies cloaked in politically correct terminology to desensitize society is a devious and systematic plan.

Incrementalism makes this loss of the Truth of Jesus Christ easy to sell, one small lie at a time.

I can see how living in Chicago, the murder capitol of the US, would make this incident seem minor.

We are so dumbed-down that we just elected a President (former Illinois Senator from Chicago), who is a radical “pro-choice” advocate who lies about “reducing abortion” while voting for abortion, including partial-birth abortions.

We become lazy, complacent and just plain scared to speak out for the rights of the innocent.

While an arrest for trespassing is a minor annoyance, we cannot stand by and do nothing.

""Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” Lk 6:46

""Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

Mark
 
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