ILLEGAL PERSECUTION OF PRO-LIFERS IN U.S.

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug 5 (LSN) – The July issue of Liberator, a publication of the Liberty Counsel of Orlando, detailed the story of an injunction issued against Operation Rescue National (ORN) that was later ruled illegal by an appeals court. Once made aware of ORN’s intent to protest Disney’s gay days in Orlando, the City’s government held a court hearing and got a temporary injunction against ORN which “restricted anyone within 1,000 feet of an abortion clinic from carrying any kind of purse or backpack,  including any chain, lock, signs with sticks, or anything else that could be construed as a weapon, and also restricted other peaceful picketing activities within or around these facilities.” All this was done without any ORN representation.  Moreover, the city made no attempt to even notify ORN of the existence of the injunction.  City police arrested several pro-lifers engaged in peaceful demonstrations. Howard Fitzpatrick for instance spent the night in jail for carrying a cross in from of the clinic, which under the injunction was construed as a weapon. Once made aware of the injunction, ORN went to court to fight the charges and were told that although the injunction was originally entered improperly, it should be amended. The amendment was made forthwith by the presiding judge but the judge did not consent to the relinquishing of the charges against the pro-lifers charged with the faulty injunction. The amended injunction was similarly restrictive of pro-life activity in the city.  Weeks later, an appeals court ruled that both the first and the second injunction were unconstitutional and did not follow due process. As a result of the appeal ruling the city attorney has tentatively agreed to drop all charges against Mr. Fitzpatrick.