VANCOUVER, Feb 26, 2001 (LSN.ca) – He used to be a militant pro-abortion activist, but Merle Terlesky, who switched to the pro-life side of the abortion conflict last year, has now been arrested for protesting against abortion in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Kamloops Daily News reported today that Mr. Terlesky was arrested and jailed Friday evening while attending a pro-life meeting. The arrest stemmed from a warrant dated back to February 1 and based on alleged violations of the province’s bubble zone legislation as it pertains to Vancouver’s Everywoman’s Health Centre.
Mr. Terlesky is being charged with violating the bubble zone law and for uttering threats against abortuary workers, an allegation which he vigorously denies. “I categorically deny making threats to clinic staff or patients or anyone within the vicinity of the clinic,” he told the Kamloops paper. He was released from jail Saturday morning after agreeing to comply with the orders of his release.
John Hof, president of Campaign Life Coalition British Columbia, says he is looking into Mr. Terlesky’s arrest. He took the opportunity to attack the bubble zone law, which bans abortion protesting within 50 metres of the entrance of Everywoman’s clinic. Pro-life protesters do not have the same freedoms as other British Columbians when it comes to taking a stand against something they don’t believe in. “You can protest APEC, the World Trade Organization and all these others things, but you can’t pray about abortion in a bubble zone. It’s insane,” he said.
For more, see: https://www.southam.com/kamloopsdailynews/