‘Because elected Dems are pro-abortion, they are abusing their power—in a one-sided way—to silence pregnancy counselors…’
(Joshua Paladino, Liberty Headlines) Police officers in North Carolina arrested eight pro-life Americans on Saturday after they refused to leave a Charlotte-area abortion clinic, WBTV reported.
Police also cited 12 people for violating the state’s recently implemented quarantine orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, weighed in on the arrests on Twitter.
2/x WATCH: This is an unconstitutional arrest. @BenhamBrothers exercising core First Amendment rights. PEACEFULLY. In a way fully consistent w/ public safety. Because elected Dems are pro-abortion, they are abusing their power—in a one-sided way—to silence pregnancy counselors. https://t.co/at4UxQrXBU
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 4, 2020
Police said a group of about 50 people violated Mecklenburg County’s stay-at-home order, but one of the protesters said his group was obeying the state’s commands, WBTV reported.
Cities4Life President David Benham, who was arrested, said he did not participate in a “gathering” as the police described it.
He said three members of Cities4Life were offering counseling services outside A Preferred Women’s Health Center, but that other citizens were there to pray for the unborn children.
Benham posted videos of the conversation with the police and the arrest.
Updated video found here: https://t.co/ooTWA63P6G
— Benham Brothers (@BenhamBrothers) April 6, 2020
Updated video part 2:https://t.co/DfjTMXx1DT https://t.co/dzNkuqRY7J
— Benham Brothers (@BenhamBrothers) April 6, 2020
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department cited a state law in defense of their officers’ arrest.
Yet, Mecklenburg County’s stay-at-home order exempts “organizations that provide charitable and social services.”
“You see it right there, public charities providing social services are clearly essential,” Benham said.
Members of LoveLife, a Greensboro-area pro-life group, were also arrested and cited outside the Charlotte abortion clinic.
On March 28, three LoveLife members were arrested and one was cited outside a Greensboro abortion clinic.
They filed a lawsuit in a North Carolina’s US District Court after warning Greensboro officials that their actions were unconstitutional.