85-Year-Old Praying Man Assaulted Outside San Francisco Planned Parenthood
An 85-year-old man was brutally assaulted on two separate occasions last week outside a San Fransisco Planned Parenthood — and the assailant is still at large.
The victim, identified only as “Ron” by Life News writer Shawn Carney, is a 40 Days for Life leader who frequently prayed outside abortion clinics and has led the 40 Days for Life group in San Fransisco for “years.”
Carney called the man “one of the most loving and dedicated long-time 40 Days for Life leaders.”
On Tuesday, March 19, the assailant approached Ron during his prayer vigil and threw the pro-life sign, pamphlets, and table into the street.
The assailant also knocked Ron and another man to the ground.
Again on Thursday, March 21, the assailant returned and tried to ride away with Ron’s pro-life banner.
When Ron chased after him to retrieve it, the assailant viciously and repeatedly kicked Ron.
“Old man, stay on the ground,” he said. “Stay on the ground old man, unless you want to get hurt.”
Planned Parenthood supporter repeatedly brutally assaults an elderly man trying to get his pro-life sign back.
“Old man, stay on the ground.” pic.twitter.com/XNXdoSFN6Z
— Joel Fischer (@JFNYC1) March 27, 2019
Law enforcement took statements from the victims, but the assailant has not yet been identified.
Carney reported that “Planned Parenthood allegedly has video surveillance of the area including the attacks, but it has been initially reported that they are unwilling to release the video or assist in the pending investigation.”
The 40 Days for Life organization stood by its volunteer.
“40 Days for Life will always support and defend its vigilant and peaceful prayer volunteers,” Matt Britton, the general counsel for 40 Days for Life, said in a statement.
“As a former elected prosecutor, I have reviewed thousands of cases of violence, and anyone who would make such a brutal, vicious assault and robbery of an elderly, peaceful man should end up in the penitentiary where he can do no more harm,” Britton said.
Ron will be represented by Life Legal, a pro-life legal group.
“The vicious attack against our elderly client is intolerable,” said Allison Aranda, Life Legal Senior Counsel and former Prosecutor of the Year.
“We will pursue all legal avenues to see that justice is served and that the freedom to speak freely on the public sidewalk without threat of physical violence is protected no matter the message.
“As a former prosecutor, I trust that the San Francisco District Attorney’s office will pursue all legal charges against the perpetrator and bring him to justice.”
Planned Parenthood did not respond to a request from The Daily Caller News Foundation to comment on this incident.
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