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 Photo Credit: Jim Hale

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BALTIMORE (LifeSiteNews) — The two elderly pro-life Catholic sidewalk counselors who were violently assaulted outside a Baltimore Planned Parenthood spoke to LifeSiteNews’ Jim Hale in a video report June 1. 

In the video, the men described the attack and called on younger Catholic men to step up to support sidewalk counselors who risk their own physical safety to try to protect the unborn.

LifeSiteNews previously reported that pro-life activists Mark Crosby, 73, and Dick Schafer, 80, were attacked while engaging in their pro-life sidewalk ministry outside the Planned Parenthood abortion facility on North Howard Street in Baltimore.

Schafer reportedly recovered at home, but Crosby went to the University of Maryland’s shock trauma facility to receive treatment for serious injuries to his skull and eye socket as well as his knees, and fingers. 

His right eye has been blinded and he has suffered a concussion.

READ: Two pro-lifers viciously assaulted outside Baltimore Planned Parenthood

In the June 1 video report, Hale noted that only “five days after being savagely beaten,” Crosby and Schafer had already returned to the Baltimore Planned Parenthood where they have engaged in the often thankless and sometimes dangerous work of praying outside the abortion clinic, handing out rosaries, and urging pregnant mothers to choose life.

Clad in the safety-pinned and blood-stained blue “Pro-Life” t-shirt which he had evidently been wearing when he was attacked, Crosby recounted the brutal assault in comments to Hale. 

Pro-life sidewalk counselor Mark Crosby. Photo Credit: Jim Hale.

He said he and Schafer were engaged in their pro-life ministry when a man approached, told Crosby to stay in the street, handed his drink to an abortion “escort,” and then charged into Schafer who had his back to him, causing the pro-life activist to fall against a planter and hit the ground.

“I was worried he was going to be thrown up into the plate-glass window, but he went through the planter,” Crosby told Hale. “Dick hit the ground. He kicks Dick, I come over to help. He grabs my medals and yanks them off. He didn’t get to my rosary.”

Crosby was then “punched, knocked down, and kicked in the head,” according to the LifeFunder set up to help pay for his medical expenses.

Schaefer said that he had been speaking with someone just before he was attacked, but couldn’t be sure of who assaulted him because he had his back turned at the time.

“When I got hit, I didn’t see anybody,” he said.

According to the Daily Signal, video footage reportedly shared with the Baltimore City Police indicates the suspect was a white male with brown hair and a beard wearing a gray t-shirt and blue jeans.

A witness said the suspect previously engaged in a “visibly aggressive conversation” with Schaefer before knocking him to the ground.

Planned Parenthood volunteer “escorts” (known to the pro-life advocates as “deathscorts”) refused to comment to Hale about the brutal attack against the two elderly men. 

One of the “escorts” told Hale he was not authorized to speak to the press.

“All we try to do is approach a woman, say ‘I have a gift for you,’ there’s free help next door, that sort of thing,” pro-life advocate John Roswell told Hale. “We try to approach [them] in a very loving manner.”

Hale went on to ask another pro-life activist, Elizabeth Lombardi, what “compels” her to continue engaging in her pro-life ministry in spite of the risks.

“Because of the children who die every day, everywhere in the world,” Lombardi said. “Innocent, just like at the time of Christ when innocents were killed because of Christ, and they are still being killed.”

Even while the LifeSite team was on site, a woman who appeared to be headed toward the abortion clinic entered the next-door pro-life pregnancy center instead.

“Praise God,” Hale reacted.

READ: Pro-life sidewalk counselor punched, bloodied by violent abortion activist

Crosby and Schaefer conveyed to Hale that the recent attack highlights their desperate need for support in their sidewalk counseling efforts, especially from strong, young Catholic men willing to stand up for the unborn.

Crosby told Hale that many men are “afraid” to come out and do sidewalk counseling in front of abortion facilities, but argued that the violent attack against himself and his colleague would not have occurred if they had larger numbers.

“Bishop Strickland said that God wants you to be a man. Society wants you to be a boy,” Crosby said. “We have too many boys out there. We need men.”

“They’re sitting back. They’ve got to come forward. We’re losing our Church. We’re losing babies,” he said.”

He pointed to the Men’s March, which held its first rally in Washington, D.C. in June, 2021. Hundreds of men and boys took part in the procession, in which they prayed the Rosary and advocated for life.

“Men are the protectors, the providers, the leaders,” John Hinterlong, president of the Right to Life League said. “They should not abdicate their responsibility.”

Help Mark cover his costly medical bills: LifeFunder

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