OTTAWA, Ontario, 28 February, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A peaceful pro-life activist was threatened by Ottawa police with arrest this afternoon for holding a sign that displayed the name of the abortionist working at the clinic where the pro-lifer was demonstrating.
Cyril Winter told LifeSiteNews.com that he showed up today at noon for a peaceful demonstration in front of the Morgentaler Clinic on Bank Street. He carried a few signs, one of which named the abortionist, Kathryn Treehuba.
In black block letters, the small white hand-sign displayed: “Kathryn Treehuba – killer”.
A police officer approached Winter and told him that the abortionist did not like her name on the sign.
Winter said he responded, “Isn’t she proud of what she does?”
The officer allegedly told him that the abortionist had concerns about her safety.
According to Winter, the officer then asked him why he thought Treehuba was a killer. Winter responded that she takes the lives of babies. He also mentioned that most abortionists now admit that when they perform an abortion, they are ending a life.
Winter said he described to the officer in detail the gruesome details of the abortion procedure, including how a high-powered vacuum inserted into the woman’s cervix sucks the baby out of her womb.
“The officer hemmed and hawed and said, 'I think there’s still a safety issue here,'” said Winter.
But Winter said that he told the officer that the abortionist’s name is already public. Dr. Kathryn Treehuba is a Ottawa University professor in the division of general Obstetrics and Gynecology and a well-known abortionist in the Ottawa area. Information about her is readily available online. Winter said that if some person was determined to harm her, then he would have no trouble finding out about her online.
Winter then said he demanded to know what law he was breaking to merit arrest. Winter said that the officer did not have a response, but that he returned to his squad car where he could be seen consulting with other people in the car.
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The officer eventually returned and told Winter that there would be no arrest today, but that the police were considering a charge under section 299 of the Criminal Code.
Section 299 deals with defamation in publishing and states that a person “publishes a libel” when he “(a) exhibits it in public; (b) causes it to be read or seen; or (c) shows or delivers it, or causes it to be shown or delivered, with intent that it should be read or seen by the person whom it defames or by any other person”.
LifeSiteNews contacted Ottawa police for comment, but was told that comment can only be given once “charges are laid”.
Winter said that despite police intimidation, he will continue to carry his sign. He said that already his sign has saved lives. He said that he could see through the glass doors of the clinic that the abortionist was speaking with police, and therefore not performing abortions.
Winter said that during the confrontation with the police he saw three young couples leave the abortion clinic all within half-an-hour of first entering.
“She has lost a whole hour of killing, at least, so far today,” he said. “She’s cancelled at least three appointments for today. They may come back, but they may not. That’s the good news,” he said.
Winter said he will continue his scheduled pro-life demonstration until five o'clock local time this evening.
“In the meantime we soldier on for Christ, doing God’s work,” he said.
He added, “Make sure you ask people to pray for me.”