On Friday morning, two senior citizen anti-abortion protesters were viciously attacked outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in North Baltimore. The victims, Mark Crosby and Dick Shafer, both over the age of 70, were targeted while peacefully praying in front of the facility. This unprovoked assault is deeply concerning and highlights the escalating violence faced by pro-life advocates.
Surveillance video captured the assailant tackling Shafer, causing damage to nearby property. When Crosby rushed to Shafer’s aid, he was violently pushed to the ground and subjected to a brutal assault, including punches and kicks to his face. The injuries sustained by Crosby are severe, with a shattered eye socket and unidentified bleeding behind his eye.
Reports suggest that a Planned Parenthood escort was present at the scene and had interacted with the attacker prior to the assault. While escorts are typically employed to guide patients into the facility, it is troubling to see their involvement in an altercation that led to violence against peaceful protesters.
The attack on Crosby and Shafer is a grave violation of their right to freedom of speech and assembly. Regardless of one’s stance on the issue of abortion, resorting to violence is never an acceptable means of expressing disagreement. Civil discourse and respect for differing opinions are fundamental to a healthy democracy, and this incident underscores the need for greater dialogue and understanding.
Law enforcement authorities are actively investigating the incident, and it is essential that the perpetrator is swiftly identified and brought to justice. The safety and well-being of all individuals, regardless of their beliefs, must be protected, and acts of violence should be condemned unequivocally. The pro-life movement values the sanctity of all human life, and such acts of aggression only serve to undermine the principles of compassion and respect that underpin this cause.