NYC for Abortion Rights grassroots organization group led their first counter protest since the overturning of Roe Versus Wade on June 25th, 2022. This protest was held on July 2nd, 2022.
The day started off like any other Clinic Defense had gone, with the Pro Choice protestors circling along the sidewalk and street in front of the Basilica of Old Saint Patrick's (Pictured above and below).
After around 20 minutes I circled around the block to the back entrance to the church where NYPD officers were stopping protestors from writing with chalk on the Church yard brick walls. (Pictured to the left NYPD Officer Chan tells two protestors they can't continue writing on the walls.)
While the officer had his back turned, trying to stop other protestors from writing, this one protestor who confronted Officer Chan previously, goes back to finish writing.
Pictured above, Officer Chan once again tells the protestor to stop writing as both him and a Witness For Life member get aggravated.
NYPD Officers are posted on every street corner as the situation hasn't improved between the Pro Choice counter protesters and Witness For Life observers.
While that is happening on the back side of the Church, the members of Witness For Life get ready for their procession from the Basilica to the Planned Parenthood. Tensions immediately rise as soon as they stepped foot outside of the Church doors.
As soon as they stopped at the Church gate, to the shock of both the Press and church members, comedic and satirical artist known as CrackHeadBarney on social media platforms, starts twerking and shoving baby dolls in their faces to represent what the Witness For Life members stand for with their stance against abortion rights whilst wearing a mask of the former President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
A physical altercation between a pro choice counter protestor and a pro life protestor ensued. (Pictured above the pro life protestor grabs Crackhead Barney's arm.)
A Witness For Life member informs an NYPD Police chief of the altercations and disruptions happening. (Pictured below.)
Police officers immediately ensue to secure the entrance of the Church and restore order to the frenzied group.
Unbeknownst to me at the time, viral comedian and troll Walter Masterson strategically places himself in the exact spot Barney was in to continue the disruption of the Police presence as well as the Witness For Life members. Also at the time I was unaware but the procession had gone out the back of the church at this exact time and were making their way to the Planned Parenthood. Walter's distraction tactic saved some of the cops from responding to that.
As soon as I realize this is the case that the procession left, I immediately bolt a block and a half to catch up to where the procession was. On arrival I immediately saw how intense the situation was between the Pro Choice counter protesters and the NYPD Officers. (Pictured below are the initial scenes I came running up to.)
Pictured here is Christopher "Fidelis" Moscinski who is the leader and founder of Witness For Life which is an organization that leads a march after mass on the first Saturday of every month. People with Witness For Life have been known to harass patients in and outside abortion clinics for years since its founding. "Fidelis" has been arrested numerous times for harassing volunteers and going into Planned Parenthoods to confront patients whilst waiting inside.
In the picture he is being handed a pamphlet by a Pro Choice protester that is from the NYC for Abortion rights organization. The pamphlet reads:
"Help us stop abortion clinic harassment! Learn about collective struggle.
Who are we? NYC for Abortion rights is an intersectional socialist-feminist collective of activists who believe NYC needs an unapologetic grassroots movement to fight for full abortion and reproductive justice."
The problem arises when NYPD officers escort these Witness For Life observers to the nearby clinic but in doing so, engage with the Pro choice abortion protesters. These leads to verbal arguements, but more importantly physical altercations such as shoving and yelling by NYPD officers against pro choice protesters.
Pictured above NYPD TARU Officer Laurie escorts Witness For Life observers to the nearby Planned Parenthood whilst commanding his officers and looking out for their safety from the protesters
When the Witness For Life observers finally reach their destination of the Planned Parenthood they proceed to sing religious chants and try and harass patients and even pretend to be a real Planned Parenthood escort. (Pictured to the right is a counter protester holding up a sign that says "FAKE ESCORT" indicating that the lady on the left is a fake Planned Parenthood Volunteer. Christopher "Fidelis" Moscinski stands to the right of Bernadette Patel, who is the one dressed up as the volunteer.)
Once the Witness For Life members departed from the Planned Parenthood, they were greeted with counter protesters chants of "SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!" and they did not stop until all the members were back inside their gates of their church.
