Elderly Pro-Life Activist Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Praying Outside Abortion Clinic

Screenshot/LSNTV

The First Amendment to the Constitution protects every Americans' freedom of religion.

But make no mistake: Leftist lawmakers are always looking for ways to trample on this most basic freedom.

Case in point: On Friday, Paulette Harlow was sentenced to 24 months in jail. She is a 75-year-old grandmother who has a debilitating medical condition.

Her crime? She was convicted in November of being part of a protest blockade of an abortion clinic in Washington, DC in 2020.

She was praying.

Harlow, of Kingston, Massachusetts, was convicted "under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and of a civil rights conspiracy, a statute that prohibits the violation of someone’s rights guaranteed to them by the U.S. Constitution and law."

Catholic News Agency reports, "The FACE Act prohibits 'violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with the right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services.'”

Republican Congressman Chip Roy wants FACE repealed.

Harlow was not the only one convicted and sentenced under the FACE Act. The protest blockade was filmed by 42-year-old Josh Darnel who is currently serving a 34-month sentence for his involvement in this event.

"In the over one-hour and 30-minute video of the protest, some of those who sat inside the clinic can be seen chained together, praying the rosary and singing hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary while refusing to leave when asked by police," Catholic News Agency reported.

A description of the video reads, “Pro-life rescuers are entering the doors of an abortion clinic and saving babies from death. This is very risky for the rescuers, but it’s about time we got serious about ending abortion again."

The DOJ said in a statement after Friday's sentencing, “As the evidence at trial showed, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services.”

“As part of the conspiracy, many of the defendants traveled to Washington, D.C., from various northeast and midwestern states to meet with Lauren Handy and participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook,” the statement said. 

According to the DOJ the pro-life protesters “forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes."

Are all protesters of various stripes treated this way? Are Left protesters treated so harshly?

Because it definitely seems like some pro-lifers are getting the harshest punishments.

Even the elderly. Just ask Paulette Harlow.

What do you think?

Do you agree with Chip Roy that the FACE Act should be repealed?