A Catholic priest in the United States is facing six months in prison for blocking access to a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Hempstead, New York.
Father Fidelis Moscinski, a resident of the Bronx, was found guilty of a “lock and block” rescue at the abortion facility.
According to court testimony, on July 7, 2022, the priest during the one-man rescue action placed multiple locks on the gate leading to the only entrance of the Planned Parenthood facility.
He also physically lay in the driveway obstructing cars, after the locks were cut off by the local fire department before the local police took him into custody.
An interview that Father Fidelis recorded for EWTN’s show, Pro-Life Weekly was played in court as proof of his intent to block access.
But the defense argued that the interview was evidence that the priest's motive was not to disrupt staff or services at the facility but to help parents considering abortion.
The defense further argued that the rescue should be treated as a local misdemeanor,
given that it caused only a 10-minute traffic obstruction, and no patient entering the Planned Parenthood facility that day made any complaints.
However, the Director of health center operations at Planned Parenthood, Jennifer Bono, said there were complaints, although earlier, she had told the FBI there were none, USA news reported.
The trial judge ignored the defense argument that the government was discriminating against Father Fidelis due to his viewpoint.
Father Fidelis is expected to be sentenced on April 24th.
This is not the first time Father Moscinski has faced jail terms for standing against the abortion of babies.
On November 27, last year, Moscinski and two other pro-life advocates, Will Goodman, and Matthew Connolly were sentenced to 90 days in jail and fined $500 for entering All Women's Medical, an abortion facility in White Plains, New York, and refusing to leave.
According to media reports, the three entered the abortion facility waiting room and refused to leave for 2 hours with one of them blocking the door to prevent patients from entering.
Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah said, police eventually “physically carried” them outside.
The three protesters belong to the Red Rose Rescue which is a group of pro-life advocates who peacefully enter an abortion facility to offer information and encouragement to the women inside.
Some pro-life advocates believe that refusing to leave abortion facilities until forced out by law enforcement is an act of solidarity with the unborn babies who are scheduled to be aborted.
Founder of PAAU, a pro-life group for liberals Terrisa Bukovinac, said that the FACE Act under which father Moscinski was charged should be obsolete by now.
The PAAU executive director, told LifeNews, “It is outrageous that the FACE Act is still being employed to target pro-life activism in a post-Roe vs. Wade America. There is no federal right to an abortion!
"Father Fidelis is a hero for putting his body in between the babies and their killer and we encourage others to do the same,” she said.
Human Rights. Society and Culture.
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