By Dan Murphy
Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah’s office is investigating an incident that occured on Nov. 27 at the All Women’s Medical Clinic in White Plains. White Plains Police Officers were called to the scene after several members of the Anti-abortion group Red Rose Rescue entered the clinic and staged an ‘intervention’ for more than two hours.
Three men were arrested by the WPPD, but women protestors has also entered the clinic and more than a dozen members of Red Rose Rescue were outside. Franciscan Friar Fr. Fidelis Moscinski, (pictured above), Williams Goodman and Matthew Connolly were arrested and charged with criminal trespassing and will appear in White Plains City Court on Dec. 13.
The ‘intervention’ according to Red Rose Rescue on their Facebook page, was to prevent medical providers from performing abortions.
Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah said her office, “and law enforcement partners are investigating an incident that took place at a women’s healthcare clinic in White Plains on Saturday, Nov. 27. Investigators are looking at whether individuals illegally interfered with patients receiving access to medical care. The New York State Clinic Access Act, Penal Law Section 240.70, gives patients and staff the right to be free from force, threats of force, or physical obstruction when trying to obtain or provide reproductive health care. In addition, criminal trespass or other criminal statutes may apply. Criminal conduct which interferes with the rights of Westchester County residents to freely access healthcare is serious, and will be, if appropriate, prosecuted to the fullest extent possible,” said Rocah in a statement.
Red Rose Rescue said on its Facebook page “A few clarifications. 1. More women than men participated in this rescue.2. More prolife women than men entered the killing facility to save lives. 3. Not one person going into the abortuary was ever threatened, insulted, intimidated, assaulted, blocked, harassed, or forced to leave the facility by anyone associated with Red Rose Rescue. The group claims that its actions are “nonviolent direct action intervention,” and that during its White Plains incident, “at least one woman left the clinic in tears.” This group has also been mentioned in other media reports about similiar incidents across the United States. After the White Plains incident they posted, “Mission Accomplished-Thanks be to God.”
State Senator Allesandra Biaggi commented on the incident, stating, “Such an act is absolutely reprehensible and will not be tolerated in New York State. By law, all New Yorkers have the right to access reproductive health care free from force, threats of force, and physical obstruction. No one should have to fear verbal or physical harassment when accessing such care, and I stand with the patients and staff of the All Women’s Medical clinic. I commend District Attorney Mimi Rocah for launching this investigation, and hope the affected patients and staff receive the justice they deserve. As the future of reproductive health care in our country hangs in the balance, New York must continue to serve as a leader in reproductive justice and condemn such acts of intolerance.”
