…By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
Pro-Life Activists Accuse New York Attorney General of Intimidation and Suppression of Free Speech
Lawsuit Targets Pro-Life Group Red Rose Rescue
Pro-life activists are claiming that New York Attorney General Letitia James is engaging in intimidation tactics and infringing upon free speech rights.
These accusations come after the attorney general filed a lawsuit against the activist group Red Rose Rescue, seeking a court order to prevent its members from coming within 30 feet of abortion clinics.
Red Rose Rescue members sometimes enter these clinics to dissuade women from pursuing abortions and offer resources for alternative options.
Lawsuit Details and Allegations
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York on June 8, specifically names five defendants: Father Fidelis Moscinski, Matthew Connolly, William Goodman, Laura Gies, and John Hinshaw.
It also includes unnamed individuals associated with Red Rose Rescue.
Attorney General James is requesting that the court prohibit these individuals from approaching any abortion clinic or reproductive health care facility in New York.
The attorney general alleges that Red Rose Rescue members repeatedly trespass on abortion clinic premises and physically obstruct access to services, effectively preventing them from functioning. Referring to three incidents in New York, James accuses the group of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), a federal law that imposes severe penalties for interference with access to abortion clinics and reproductive health care facilities.
In a statement, James describes Red Rose Rescue as a group that aims to intimidate reproductive health care providers and their patients.
Activists’ Response and Claims of Intimidation
Bernadette Patel, who is mentioned in the lawsuit but not listed as a defendant, sees the lawsuit as a politically motivated attack on free speech, freedom of religion, and natural law.
John Hinshaw, one of the defendants, believes that the lawsuit’s purpose is to intimidate pro-life activists and suppress their activities.
Despite these efforts, he asserts that New York’s pro-life movement remains steadfast and resolute.
Hinshaw disputes the attorney general’s assertion that Red Rose Rescue members blocked access to a clinic during one of their actions.
He emphasizes that no access was obstructed and criticizes the attorney general’s credibility.
Hinshaw deems the lawsuit “ridiculous” but unsurprising given his perception of New York’s political environment.
Father Fidelis Moscinski’s Involvement and Allegations
Father Fidelis Moscinski, a priest of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, is one of the defendants named in the lawsuit.
He faces charges for violating the FACE Act during a separate incident in which he placed locks and chains on the front gate of a Planned Parenthood clinic.
However, this act was independent of his involvement with Red Rose Rescue.
Pro-Life Activists’ Criticism of the Attorney General
Pro-life activists express frustration with the attorney general’s selective targeting of pro-life groups while failing to hold pro-abortion organizations accountable.
They highlight instances of violence and extremism perpetrated by pro-abortion groups during prayer vigils, which they claim have gone uninvestigated.
Critics, such as Bernadette Patel, argue that Letitia James is employing oppressive tactics akin to those used by past dictatorships to silence dissenting voices.
As this legal battle unfolds, pro-life activists and their supporters continue to advocate for their beliefs while raising concerns about the protection of free speech and religious freedom.