Washington, DC – Six pro-life activists, including a Catholic Priest, were arrested yesterday outside the White House for kneeling in prayer in opposition to the Obama Administration’s mandate compelling groups of faith to provide insurance to employees that would cover abortion-causing drugs.
Led by Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, a group of about thirty activists had gathered on the sidewalk outside the White House to pray and peacefully protest the immoral mandate. It is legal to demonstrate at that site as long as one continues to move. Once the six protesters knelt in prayer, they were arrested for disobeying a lawful order. They were released a short time later after they each paid a $100 fine. Rev. Mahoney was the first to be arrested.
Also arrested was Fr. Denis Wilde, the Associate Director of Priests for Life, whose organization filed suit in Federal Court yesterday against the mandate issued by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, a radical supporter of unrestricted abortion.
“Occupy Wall Street protesters have been occupying federal property for months, but when we kneel in prayer, the police are called in and we are arrested,” Father Wilde said. “We knew that was the risk when we gathered today, and we will do it again regardless of the risk. What people of faith — of every faith — need to do now is stand with us.”
“These were the first arrests in opposition to the immoral Obama Mandate, but they won’t be the last. Our freedom to exercise our religious beliefs without government coercion is one of our most precious liberties. We cannot bow to tyranny or be forced to participate in the taking of innocent human life against our consciences. Peaceful protects and civil disobedience can be expected to continue until Obama rescinds the mandate,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, who is also head of Pro-Life Nation.
Participating in the protest were members the Christian Defense Coalition, Operation Rescue, Rock for Life, Students for Life of America, Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, and Stand True.
Note: Photo by Bryan Kemper