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BALTIMORE, Maryland (LifeSiteNews) — The two elderly pro-life Catholic sidewalk counselors who were violently assaulted outside a Baltimore Planned Parenthood spoke to LifeSiteNews’ Jim Hale in a video report June 1.
In the video, the men described the attack and called on younger Catholic men to step up to support sidewalk counselors who risk their own physical safety to try to protect the unborn.
LifeSiteNews previously reported that pro-life activists Mark Crosby, 73, and Dick Schafer, 80, were attacked while engaging in their pro-life sidewalk ministry outside the Planned Parenthood abortion facility on North Howard Street in Baltimore.
Schafer reportedly recovered at home, but Crosby went to the University of Maryland’s shock trauma facility to receive treatment for serious injuries to his skull and eye socket as well as his knees, and fingers.
His right eye has been blinded and he has suffered a concussion.
Donald Trump has suggested a 6-week abortion ban is ”too harsh”, attacking Gov. Ron DeSantis for his bill protecting innocent human life after 6 weeks.
Obviously pro-lifers wish to protect all human life from conception with outright abortion bans.
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The former president said he is ”looking at all alternatives” when asked if he would support such a 6-week ban, making this a crucial opportunity for pro-life voters to make their views known to him in no uncertain terms.
“He has to do what he has to do,” Trump said about Gov. DeSantis’ abortion bill. “If you look at what DeSantis did, a lot of people don’t even know if he knew what he was doing. But he signed six weeks, and many people within the pro-life movement feel that that was too harsh.”
Anyone truly in the pro-life movement thinking the ban is too harsh must mean it’s too harsh on those babies less than 6-weeks who can still be murdered.
Mr. Trump’s outlandish claim about anyone in the pro-life movement opposing the ban is doubtful to say the least, but there was more to follow in the interview.
When pressed on whether he thought the bill was ”too harsh”, Trump would not answer directly, instead saying: ”I’m looking at all alternatives. I’m looking at many alternatives. But I was able to get us to the table by terminating Roe v. Wade. That’s the most important thing that’s ever happened for the pro-life movement.”
The former president is correct in saying the overturning of Roe v. Wade was a monumental step for the pro-life movement, but it should only be the beginning of banning the killing of babies in the womb entirely.
Donald Trump’s belief that even a 6-week abortion ban is extreme spells trouble for every citizen concerned about ending abortion, which is why we need you to take part in this urgent petition to him.
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Our true loyalty is to innocent human beings facing death, none more so than those in the womb, and any candidate who prevaricates about something so important to building a civilized society has to be corrected.
We urge all Republican candidates to advocate for a total ban on abortion, without any exceptions – not just at 6-week’s gestation as an incremental measure.
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MORE INFORMATION:
Trump distances himself from 6-week abortion ban by DeSantis: ‘Too harsh’ – LifeSiteNews
READ: Two pro-lifers viciously assaulted outside Baltimore Planned Parenthood
In the June 1 video report, Hale noted that only “five days after being savagely beaten,” Crosby and Schafer had already returned to the Baltimore Planned Parenthood where they have engaged in the often thankless and sometimes dangerous work of praying outside the abortion clinic, handing out rosaries, and urging pregnant mothers to choose life.
Clad in the safety-pinned and blood-stained blue “Pro-Life” t-shirt which he had evidently been wearing when he was attacked, Crosby recounted the brutal assault in comments to Hale.
He said he and Schafer were engaged in their pro-life ministry when a man approached, told Crosby to stay in the street, handed his drink to an abortion “escort,” and then charged into Schafer who had his back to him, causing the pro-life activist to fall against a planter and hit the ground.
“I was worried he was going to be thrown up into the plate-glass window, but he went through the planter,” Crosby told Hale. “Dick hit the ground. He kicks Dick, I come over to help. He grabs my medals and yanks them off. He didn’t get to my rosary.”
Crosby was then “punched, knocked down, and kicked in the head,” according to the LifeFunder set up to help pay for his medical expenses.
Schaefer said that he had been speaking with someone just before he was attacked, but couldn’t be sure of who assaulted him because he had his back turned at the time.
“When I got hit, I didn’t see anybody,” he said.
According to the Daily Signal, video footage reportedly shared with the Baltimore City Police indicates the suspect was a white male with brown hair and a beard wearing a gray t-shirt and blue jeans.
A witness said the suspect previously engaged in a “visibly aggressive conversation” with Schaefer before knocking him to the ground.
Planned Parenthood volunteer “escorts” (known to the pro-life advocates as “deathscorts”) refused to comment to Hale about the brutal attack against the two elderly men.
One of the “escorts” told Hale he was not authorized to speak to the press.
“All we try to do is approach a woman, say ‘I have a gift for you,’ there’s free help next door, that sort of thing,” pro-life advocate John Roswell told Hale. “We try to approach [them] in a very loving manner.”
Hale went on to ask another pro-life activist, Elizabeth Lombardi, what “compels” her to continue engaging in her pro-life ministry in spite of the risks.
“Because of the children who die every day, everywhere in the world,” Lombardi said. “Innocent, just like at the time of Christ when innocents were killed because of Christ, and they are still being killed.”
Even while the LifeSite team was on site, a woman who appeared to be headed toward the abortion clinic entered the next-door pro-life pregnancy center instead.
“Praise God,” Hale reacted.
RELATED: Pro-life sidewalk counselor punched, bloodied by violent abortion activist
Crosby and Schaefer conveyed to Hale that the recent attack highlights their desperate need for support in their sidewalk counseling efforts, especially from strong, young Catholic men willing to stand up for the unborn.
Crosby told Hale that many men are “afraid” to come out and do sidewalk counseling in front of abortion facilities, but argued that the violent attack against himself and his colleague would not have occurred if they had larger numbers.
“Bishop Strickland said that God wants you to be a man. Society wants you to be a boy,” Crosby said. “We have too many boys out there. We need men.”
“They’re sitting back. They’ve got to come forward. We’re losing our Church. We’re losing babies,” he said.”
He pointed to the Men’s March, which held its first rally in Washington, D.C. in June, 2021. Hundreds of men and boys took part in the procession, in which they prayed the Rosary and advocated for life.
“Men are the protectors, the providers, the leaders,” John Hinterlong, president of the Right to Life League said. “They should not abdicate their responsibility.”
Help Mark cover his costly medical bills: LifeFunder