By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
OTTAWA, October 16, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Yesterday at about 2 p.m. several women participating in 40 Days for Life Ottawa and keeping vigil at the Bank St. abortuary were violently assaulted. A woman began yelling obscenities at the pro-life volunteers and then became physically aggressive, throwing food at one of the vigil participants and then throwing punches and kicking.
Eyewitnesses said that the woman came with her lunch and sat between two ladies who were praying. She then shouted out repeatedly, "You've had your protest, now I'm going to have mine," whereupon she threw her food at one vigil-keeper and then began pushing, screaming obscenities, and swinging her fists.
The belligerent woman approached an elderly lady and said, "You're old, why don't you die," according to an eyewitness.
Suzanne Poulin, age 51, was one of the women who bore the brunt of the attack. Suzanne told LifeSiteNews.com that the attacker threw her to the ground and began pummeling her face. She suffered bruises to her face and nose, a cut lip and her ear was torn, possibly by a ring the assailant was wearing. Just before this Suzanne was advising the other vigil-keepers to remain silent and not engage the abusive woman.
Suzanne emphasized that none of the vigil-keepers touched or hurt the assailant.
The police were called while the security guard from the abortion mill and some men from the gathering crowd tried to subdue the attacker, who was described as about 30 years old, and well dressed and groomed.
Four police cruisers came to the scene, at which point the attacker to fled into an adjacent building. She was apprehended by police and arrested. The assailant continued to scream insults and obscenities as they took her away, while a paramedic attended to Suzanne and the other women that had been injured in the attack.
Suzanne told LifeSiteNews.com that she will press charges against the attacker, but that she also forgave her and will continue to pray for her.
"As a mother, I have developed good judgment to know when someone needs correction. This woman needs not only to be corrected, she needs anger management. Her actions will probably have a very negative effect on the rest of her life. With prayer, this incident may help her to see the truth and turn her toward life," Suzanne said.
Suzanne returned to the Bank St. abortuary for her vigil today.
For updates from the vigil site go to: http://40daysottawa.blogspot.com/
To sign up for vigil hours in Ottawa, contact Nicole Campbell at Campaign Life Coalition at (613) 729-0379, or visit http://www.40daysforlife.com/ottawa
