The Helpers of God's Precious Infants regularly hold prayer vigils outside abortion clinics. Recently there have been some instances of disproportionate attention from the police. Fortunately at Twickenham, this matter now seems to have been resolved satisfactorily with the Metropolitan Police agreeing that the vigils can continue without police attendance. (See: Victory for Pro-Life Abortion Campaigners facing Police suspension)
I take part in these vigils from time to time. What happens is that a group stands well away from the entrance and says fifteen decades of the Rosary and other prayers and perhaps hymns. Nearer the entrance a counsellor, or a small group of counsellors offer leaflets to those entering or leaving, or to passers by and are available to talk to people. The whole thing is quite peaceful and causes less obstruction than, for example, the people who give out free newspapers outside tube stations. In my experience, I have seen many people stop to talk and it is always a joyful thing if someone changes their mind as a result.
What happens to cause the police attention is that someone from the clinic rings the police to complain about a disturbance, or obstruction or whatever. The police then turn up and feel they have to do something. At the recent case at Twickenham, a car and a van arrived with sirens going, and threatened to arrest anyone who did not stop the counselling.
The Twickenham case seems to have been resolved now. The advice I have been given for others is to inform the police in advance of a vigil, saying exactly what you will be doing. Then if they receive a call, they have some information to go on in making a decision whether or not to attend. Of course, the letter from the Met concerning the Twickenham vigils can now be quoted as an example.
8 comments:
Great news, Fr. Tim.
Take several cameras and film the vigil. It also occurs to me that in the UK there are those CV cameras everywhere, and given the nature of their ghastly "business" I can't imagine there not being these cameras in place.
If these *******s make false claims about there being a disturbance, and they call out the police, it seems to me you can sue the pants off them -- here it's a huge fine, for instance, if you make a call to 911 with an emergency call that's not an emergency.
Isn't Twickenham where the UFO scare happened? Sounds like the police have been infected with some sort of Alien Agenda. (I hope you know this is tongue in cheek)
Richard
GOTO - film the police? In the UK now you could be arrested under the anti-terrorism laws ...
Sadly, we do need a few arrests (dry martyrs)? to bring this persecution of innocent Catholics and others who wish to pray peacefully in public, to the front of the media.
It is a great pity that none of our Bishops had the nerve to stand up to the adoption debacle and refuse to amend their adoption agencies in favour of homosexual adoption. If a Bishop had gone to jail for Catholic belief what a difference that would have made.
It's too sad to be funny, but it is certainly bizarre that the abortion clinic can phone the police and say 'there is a disturance outside the clinic' and the blue lights start flashing and the police jump out of their vehicles threatening to take further action...but if someone outside the clinic phones the police and says 'come quick, someone is being murdered..at the abortion clinic', the police are not obligated to respond...when the one who is being murdered is an unborn baby.
What sickness....no flashing lights...no threats of legal action against the mother...not even a bit of counselling for the mother before the terrible deed is done...the unborn have no rights...it makes me sick to my stomach.
The *remarkble* Ted Atkinson has spent many a night in cells for his pro-life stance and - I think - may be in one even as we 'speak'.
Please keep the vigil at Maidstone's clinic in your prayers on 15th April - I'll be leading the prayers.
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