Police Halt Confiscaton of Property at Tiller’s Mill
Baby items and sidewalk counseling supplies returned to pro-lifers
Wichita, KS — Operation Rescue met with representatives of the Wichita Police Department on Thursday concerning Troy Newman?s arrest and incarceration on littering charges on January 21, and the confiscation of property over three days outside a Wichita abortion mill. Police informed OR that they had met with their legal department and determined that they would no longer confiscate personal property on the public access ways around late-term abortionist George Tiller’s abortion mill, Women’s Health Care Services. Police also indicated that they would not post an officer at the mill full-time, as had been previously suggested, nor would they continue to ticket the Truth Trucks if they were parked legally in the 30-minute parking zone across the street from the mill. Operation Rescue also made arrangements for the return of personal property.
‘This is a 180 degree turn around from last week,” said Newman, who spent 8 hours in jail for placing a bag of dolls on the grassy public easement next to the public sidewalk near the abortion mill entrance. “This is a victory for the sidewalk counselors who can now, without fear of arrest or seizure of property, continue to offer baby blankets, clothing, and other items to needy women who have changed their minds about aborting their babies.”
A total of 21 tickets were issued to OR staff and vehicles on the eve of the 32nd Roe v. Wade anniversary. The Truth Trucks received 17 of those tickets, even though the Trucks were moved every 30 minutes. Police indicated that a meeting with George Tiller and his attorney sparked the temporary crack down.
“We are glad that cooler heads prevailed and that the rights of law-abiding citizens to conduct First Amendment activities on the public street are being protected. We have enjoyed a good working relationship with the Wichita Police, and are happy that this will continue.”
Although Newman’s littering charge has not been formally dismissed, he remains confident that the matter will now be resolved amicably.
January 31st, 2005 at 5:17 pm
Ah….progress! I guess when no wmd were discovered, and they may have realized that they looked rather silly subjecting Maria von Trapp to search & seizure and arrest…Songbird77 said it so well in her “Coats! and dolls! and gifts! Oh, my!”…
Glad to hear this!
February 1st, 2005 at 11:52 am
Question for t. mcnutt & OR: Was Maria von Trapp involved in the arrests? I’m new here and maybe I missed something. Thanks.
February 1st, 2005 at 12:22 pm
My opinion for what it’’s worth.
Take them to court anyway. The objective during that time was obviosuly to silence the prolife voice. This is illegal.
The fact that they have repented does not take away the fact that your voice WAS silenced. The admission that these illegal acts of harrasement were done in cooperation with Tiller and in actual response to him brings him into the lawsuit as well.
Anytime spenyt away from baby killing is good. Any money spent to defend baby killing is a good waste of their resources.
The police will learn to not do it. And Tiller needs to have it cost him to kill.
Take all parties to court for consiracy to defraud you of your Consittuional right of free speach.
This will also set an example for others who are abused by this godless baby killing system.
February 1st, 2005 at 6:11 pm
j.,
No, of course Maria von Trapp was not present literally; her name is associated, in my mind, with someone caring for children and helping them escape from a holocaust (this much is historically accurate, as anyone will know who has read her story), so I used it in a typical (i.e., as a type) of sidewalk counselors, to illustrate a point. You may have missed a good movie (If you haven’t seen “The Sound of Music”, do so; some artistic license is taken with the actual story, but the essence of it is true), an even better book, and a literary device. (It’s difficult for me to imagine anyone acquainted with Maria’s bio, if only the movie version, to miss the connection: What actually occurred in Wichita was tantamount to arresting Maria (after her conversion to Christ)or any other good, peaceful person(s) engaged in and known for praiseworthy work, especially towards intended holocaust victims.
Clear enough?!
slan,
February 1st, 2005 at 6:21 pm
Robert,
Other than a few spelling difficulties,
(it’s, not “it’’s”; obviously, not “obviosuly”:
harassment, not “harrasement”; conspiracy, not “consiracy”; constitutional, not “Consittuional”, for future reference!)
your post is RIGHT ON! Thanks for pointing all this out for everyone concerned. . .