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Private prayer muzzled on Milwaukee public sidewalk
PLW Letterhead

Monday, December 20, 2004


Contact: Peggy Hamill, State Director
262-796-1111 or 414-416-0489


Private prayer muzzled on Milwaukee public sidewalk

On Saturday, December 18, in Milwaukee, as busy shoppers and other pedestrians freely walked by on a downtown sidewalk, four pro-life Wisconsinites peacefully and quietly prayed adjacent to Summit abortuary. They had nearly completed their weekly routine when a City of Milwaukee police sergeant interrupted them and ordered them to pace back and forth. They continued to stay in place and on task in their prayers. A paddy wagon was then summoned. The four were handcuffed, transported to the City of Milwaukee jail, fingerprinted, photographed, further processed, and incarcerated for over four hours.

“As we prayed, an abortion-bound mother passed by with her parents,” said Bob Hamill, one of the four arrested. “The mom, grandma and grandpa of the baby to be killed were all in tears. While we were in the jail bullpen we continued to pray for the babies that were slaughtered, their families, and for those police who were persecuting us.”

The citation issued to these four gentlemen unjustly alleges that they were preventing free and convenient use of the public sidewalk.

“It’s ironic that the Milwaukee Police Department, through Saturday’s arrest, prevented these Christians from their constitutionally protected use of the same public sidewalk,” stated Peggy Hamill, state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin. “Pro-Life Wisconsin will not stand by and let these unjust actions against our supporters go unchallenged. We are assisting those involved in securing counsel, and blanketing them in prayer. We continue to encourage our volunteers to pray for an end to the killing of our preborn brothers and sisters, and especially to pray at the sites where the killing takes place.”

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