Politics
Wednesday December 12, 2007
VIDEO: Chicago-Area Police Threaten to Arrest Man for Simply Praying While Pushing Baby Stroller on Public Street
Police chief responds, "he can pray at home or anywhere", except near abortion center
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By John Connolly
AURORA, Illinois, December 12, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A YouTube video shows police monitoring a peaceful protest in a Chicago suburb who threatened to arrest a man that was not part of the protest because he was praying while walking his baby in a stroller on the sidewalk near a huge Planned Parenthood abortion facility.
Aurora resident Roger Earl was walking his baby and praying from a prayer book on November 17 when police confronted him and told him he couldn't be there.
"I wasn't planning to be part of the protest today," said Earl. "I didn't realize that I was breaking any law by walking along the sidewalk praying."
A pro-life worker has put a video on YouTube of Roger Earl talking with reporters after his confrontation with police officials.
Earl was near the protest because his wife was sidewalk counseling, and he was watching their infant. Police approached him and warned him twice and then threatened to arrest him even after he denied being part of the protest.
Earl was praying and wearing an insignia indicating he opposed abortion, according to Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli. Aurora Police Chief William Powell callously dismissed the excessive police enforcement, linking prayer near an abortion center to a legal protest.
"If he's praying here, he's here because of the building," Powell said. "He can pray at home or anywhere."
Jason Craddock, one of the attorneys for Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood and the Pro-Life Action League, said the incident was a blatant example of anti-picketing enforcement.
See interview with Roger Earl over his arrest threat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTRkpKaJZ3k.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Assaulted Sidewalk Counselor Speaks Out about Abortion and Miscarriage of Justice
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/feb/07021206.html
Abortion Clinic and Security Face Lawsuit after Christendom College Student Injured
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/may/05050404.html
Pro-Lifers Counseling outside Dallas Abortion Center Assaulted
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/aug/04081003.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 220 - 215
- Stupak Amendment to Health Care Bill Passes 240 - 194 Saturday Evening
- NY Times: Dems Banking on Later Squeezing Pro-Life Language Out of Bill in Committee
- USCCB Spokesman: "Definitely Not True" that Bishops Support Bill As it Stands
- TIME Got it Wrong - Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral
- Major Health Care Development - Pro-Life Stupak Amendment Vote OK'd for Saturday
- USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off "Phony" Abortion Compromise for Health Bill
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholic Left
- Dirty Fighting on Abortion Funding: Word-Games and Health-Care Theatrics Boggle the Mind
- Commentary on November 6 News
- Note to LifeSiteNews Subscribers with Rogers email addresses
- New York Gov. Declares Nov. 10 Extraordinary Legislative Session for Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Washington's Pro-Family Amendment Effort Defeated - R-71 Almost Certain to Pass
- Vote Pushed Back on Canadian Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Bill to Dec. 2
- Elderly U.K. Couple in Good Health Commit Suicide, Complain of Assisted Suicide Law
- Texas Late-Term Abortionist and Baptist Minister Admits: "Am I killing? Yes, I am"
- New Evidence Contradicts CCHD's Findings on Accused Pro-Abortion Partner
- Quebec Priest Denies Possibility of Sexual Reorientation Therapy on TV
- New Hampshire Same-Sex "Marriage" Law in Crosshairs after Maine's Law Crumbles
- Brooklyn Bishop Criticized for Recorded Message Praising Pro-Abortion Politician
- First Group of "Traditionalist" Anglicans in Britain Votes to Enter Catholic Church
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholics Left
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 218 to 215
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- Major Health Care Bill Development - Stupak Hyde Amendment Vote OK'd
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.