Pro-life rally heats up downtown
A man was arrested following a heated pro-life rally in downtown St. Catharines Monday afternoon at the corner of King and James streets where about 15 demonstrators were holding extremely graphic posters depicting what appeared to be dismembered babies and bloody fetuses.
Niagara Regional Police said the man, who identified himself to Postmedia prior to his arrest as Aaron Wagner, was charged with mischief.
“I’m pretty shaken up about it,” said Wagner with regards to the protest and the images.
“I can only imagine what it’s like for people who actually have to have abortions. I myself have had to support my girlfriend at the time for a decision she had to make because she wasn’t sure if it was mine or her abuser’s baby.”
He said he believes the visuals the demonstrators were displaying are potentially traumatizing to somebody who has actually had an abortion.
Wagner said a friend of his told him about the protest, which was when he decided to attend. The words “pro-choice” and a smile was drawn in black marker on his back and arms and he entered the fray shirtless and approached the demonstrators.
That’s when he started trying to destroy the demonstrators’ signs, said bystander Tonie Malcolm.
“He started stomping on them,” said Malcolm.
Police were called and Wagner was placed in handcuffs and led away.
“It was a little extreme but I’m actually happy with what he was doing because I think it (the correct viewpoint) is pro-choice,” said Malcolm. She echoed similar sentiments as Wagner had regarding the graphics on the posters.
“I don’t think the pictures are warranted. You could get your point across with a different approach — maybe showing babies living. It’s really offensive. I’m outside eating my lunch and someone’s there with these grotesque pictures.”
Malcolm said she can’t speak for everybody, but that she would rather people be pro-choice.
Another bystander, Troy Wilson, said people have “their own right to make up their mind” about the issue.
“And basically they’re going to have the abortion either way. It doesn’t matter if it’s legal or not. We’re all just on a little rock in a huge universe. We’re all absolutely pointless. So what does it matter in the long run?” said Wilson.
Deborah Gilman, outreach director for the Canadian Centre for Biological Reform, was among the pro-life demonstrators. Gilman and St. Catharines resident Nicole McDowell, got into a debate on the corner of King and James streets.
“So if I have a baby and I have been told by my doctor, first of all it puts your health at risk, and second of all, that baby is not going to live minutes after being born, why should I have to suffer through nine months of knowing I could die right now, to carry a baby to term that I know is going to die?” asked McDowell.
“Why is that okay? Why is that more humane than ending the pregnancy, saving the life that’s already in existence and stopping the suffering of the baby inside?”
Gilman replied: “We need to help people. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t turn to medicine. I actually was approached not too long ago by a woman whose doctor had told her that her and her baby were going to die … there’s always different options. As much as we can’t always save every child, we can always do our best to do that.”
McDowell, who said she cares for foster children, also asked Gilman how many foster children she was raising.
“Whether I personally adopt or foster children, can I not still speak out on behalf of the most vulnerable Canadian children that are being slaughtered?” said Gilman.
Gilman said her organization helps mothers who want to keep their children find support.
She said her organization is purely educational.
The demonstrators took down their signs willingly as the situation started to escalate.