News

Image Image

TORONTO, Ontario, December 23, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pro-life witness Mary Wagner was arrested again by Toronto police this morning as she spoke to women waiting to obtain abortions.  One of the officers seized a reporter’s video camera, deleted its contents, and refused to identify himself.

When Wagner arrived at the Bloor West Village Women’s Clinic at 8:30 this morning, she entered the facility’s waiting room and began encouraging women to keep their babies.

She handed out crystal angel ornaments with a card reading, “When you take off the wrapping, you will see a little gift…when you give birth to your child, you will see a priceless treasure.”

The police arrived shortly and escorted her downstairs, but let her off with a warning.  Once they had left, Wagner went back to the abortion facility upstairs to speak with more women.

The police came back with three cars and took her away at 11:30 a.m.

Alissa Golob, head of Campaign Life Coalition’s youth division, did sidewalk counseling outside the building and videotaped the events for LifeSiteNews.

Golob explained that she tried to convince the officers not to follow through with the arrest.  “I stressed to the cop that he had freedom of conscience – and that he did not need to arrest Mary if it went against his intrinsic moral values,” she said.

She also said that at one point she was able to explain to onlookers in a room where she was ordered to go by the police, what Mary was doing. “One man even told me that the reason he was there was because his friend was in the abortuary, and I told him to go and tell her she had another choice,” said Golob.  “So he left the lobby and went to talk to her.”

After Wagner had been dragged to the police car, a male officer seized Golob’s camera.

“He grabbed the camera out of my hands and proceeded to delete all my videos,” she said.  “Becoming immensely infuriated I demanded to know what his badge number was, to which he replied by storming away without acknowledging my existence, other than to hand me back my empty camera.”

The British Columbia native was just let out of jail a few weeks ago after an arrest in Toronto on November 21.  She spent four months in the Milton Vanier Centre for Women earlier this year after another arrest in April, but was acquitted in July.

Golob described Wagner as a “modern-day pro-life hero.”  “As I watched the cop car pull away, … I couldn’t help but think how symbolic this event really was,” said Golob.  “Just as our Mother Mary said ‘yes’ in answering His call to give birth to our Lord, Mary Wagner also said ‘yes’ to His command to uphold and affirm the culture of life.”

LifeSiteNews.com did not hear back from the Toronto police by press time.