So the past 28hours or so has seemed like a
whirlwind to me, witnessing my first up close arrest for participating in the
pro-life movement was a pretty intense experience. I wasn’t a fan of watching
my team members be taken away in handcuffs, it was absolutely frightening.
Frightening that we could be arrested when we hadn’t even broken the law and frightening
that we’re not guaranteed our freedom of speech rights.
This all started with us going to Murrah High School on Monday, just as we always do when we’re in a town we go to a high school to hand out literature and makes students aware of the horrors of abortion. So we split into two teams of two and one team of three. I went with Vince to the south parking lot of the school where students drive their cars out after they’re dismissed. I took some literature to give to the students and Vince took some signs. So it was a normal day like most high schools, I was actually a bit surprised we seemed to have a good amount of students taking the literature compared to normal. But we found overall that in Jackson, MS that people were more open to taking it and reading it because they hadn’t been shown the truth of what abortion was and were curious as to what our message was.
So Vince and I finished up after most of the students had driven out and walked back to the van, Mary Rose had come running up to us to get the video camera but I didn’t think too much of it until the entire team got back to the car. The got in and Sarah had had some school cops in her face who took her signs out of her hands trying to get her to leave. One of them even grabbed her camera by the lens and was telling her it was illegal to film him, she asked by what law was that and got the answer “My law” from the cop. So we got most of that on video and then were told by the cops that we were not welcome there again. But honestly, I mean what is that? You’re telling us that we’re not welcome on a public sidewalk to demonstrate our rights of free speech?
This was not acceptable, the cops had already done damage by not letting us get to talk to as many kids as we could, but now they were telling us that our rights we being taken away. This was not something acceptable to us. So we talked about whether we were going to go back the next day and thought about what the implications could be if we did. But we realized that we should have no reason not to go back, and we needed to get the message out to the students. I mean when these students are being targeted by Planned Parenthood to make money off of who’s going to tell them the truth if not us or people like us. Abortion mills aren’t interested in helping them; they’re interested in making money off of them.
Just the other day when we were at the clinic we saw a mother take in her 11 year old daughter claiming she was ‘raped’ (I say claimed because the mother didn’t seem nearly outraged enough as some women who’ve dealt with that ordeal) and that she needed to have the abortion. I tried to talk to the mother and tell her daughter needed her to love her and take care of her right then, but to no avail she walked back into the clinic. So if we have to risk what we did in order to stand up for the unborn then we’re going to. We’re not going to stop doing something that is perfectly legal within our rights because people think the message is offensive. You know what is offensive? That over 3,000 children are being slaughtered every day in the United States and that most people don’t even give a though about what they can do to stop that.
So we decided to go back to the school the next day, one of my good friends had brought up a good point about a week earlier to me in the matter of arrest situations. She knows I want to both foster and adopt and she asked me whether I knew if getting arrested would prevent me from doing either. So while I don’t know the details I knew that I would need to be careful with the whole matter and if I could avoid being in the arrest situation that I should.
So Tuesday came and we headed back to the school at 3pm, shortly after we arrived we noticed that a film crew from a local station (Channel 3) was there, so Kristina got out and gave a short interview with them. At approximately 3:25 we went to the back of the van and Sarah, Vince, Kristina, and Brianna got out their signs and literature. Mary Rose, Jayne, Nina (local pro-life youngin) and I got the cameras and car keys and headed opposite the sidewalk so we could try to capture everything that was going on tape. So they team on the sidewalk set up their signs and waited for the students to come out. So as the students start rushing out of the school the police are already walking up to Kristina and the others telling them they need to get off the sidewalk. Some of the administrators and police were telling the students not to come near us or take our literature, some even yelled at them to get back inside. I really don’t always understand why they think we are so violent, then again they though the people who were on the frontlines in the Civil Rights movement were violent as well.
So as those of us videoing were trying to get good
shots some buses pulled up in front of the school they hindered us from getting
any shots of Kristina and Brianna. So I was focusing on Sarah and Vince and
then look up to see Brianna in handcuffs being led across the street to a
school cop car that is parked on the side of the hill closer to us. I started
snapping as many shots as I could get with the camera (I’m afraid there were
some very blurry photos to sift through). I managed to get a few okay ones as
Brianna was being put into the cop car. I tried not to let my mind go to
thoughts of panic. So I then look around back to the school and see Kristina in
handcuffs also being led to the car… so I was able to snap a few pictures
before she was put in the car. But again I didn’t stay on her with the camera
cause my attention then went to Vince and Sarah.
Vince and Sarah were being escorted to the other side by us, so we took a few steps back so that if they were arrested the cops wouldn’t come after us… I mean someone had to be there to make the phone calls and get them out right? So we continued to film and I continued to worry that they’d take them all in. Even though Survivors have been arrested in the past for standing up for their freedom of speech rights and won most (if not all) cases it’s still scary because when you think about the way our country could be going downhill you worry about our rights being taken away. I mean just the other month Jayne, her father, her sister, and a few others were arrested for praying in front of the White House?!?!?!?!! Since when has that been illegal?!
But anyway, I digress… a lot. So as it happened Sarah and Vince were not arrested and we were able to get our signs into our van. As we were walking to load everything up news station pulled up and Mary Rose (our 2nd in command) took up the torch and gave the channel a pretty good interview. So we packed up everything and our lovely hosts (Harriet and Judy) took us downtown to try to find Kristina and Brianna and where they took them so we could just go pay a small fine and get them out and fight the charges in court later. At least that was the plan we were expecting.
So we made it downtown and went to the city court… we were then told to go to the county court next door and that that is where they would be. So we went next door and then were told they would be in the city court. We told them we were just there, that they weren’t there; mind you at this point I’m starting to get pretty concerned. So they kept trying to give us the run around, but then this stranger who was super nice and commented on one of our pro-life shirts that he liked it was nice enough to tell us exactly where to go to get some information. So we went to the correct location which was behind both of the court buildings and after much pestering of the man behind the desk found out that the girls had been there, but that they had then been transferred to another place with holding cells where they would wait to be booked. So we asked how long that would be, they said they didn’t know the time, it would depend on that amount of prisoners waiting to be booked there.
So we mulled around outside the courts in our van, and then our two host home ladies said they knew a lady (Tanya) who lived downtown who had just called them and said we could come wait things out at her house. So we headed to Tanya’s house and went in and introduced ourselves. This woman also a sidewalk counselor had been arrested herself outside the abortion mill and charged with prostitution… now you tell me how they made up that charge against her?!!!
So we waited and waited… and waited some more. We ran back to the high school to try to do an interview with a news station that was filming live at the school, but just happened to miss their broadcast by the time we got there. But we did get some valuable information from the newscaster. We hadn’t been told when we were at the station what charges were being put against the girls… just that they were being held. So the newscaster was able to read us a quote from the arresting officer who said that they were being arrested for 1. Disorderly Conduct 2.Trespassing and 3. Interfering with a bus driver.
So we found this out and then rushed back to Tanya’s house to see if they heard anything yet, Tanya finally got fed up with waiting and started making phone calls. She managed to get ahold of the man who was booking over at the jail and he gave her a sob story about how he was the only one there working on booking. He told her that he wasn’t even sure they would be booked by midnight. So we packed up everyone in the van since it was about 10pm or so at night and decided to go back to our welcoming host homes and try to get some rest and make some phone calls since we didn’t think there was any way they’d be let go that night.
As we went back to our homes... I just kept trying to pray on the way, praying that they’d be safe, that they’d be warm. I think it’s hard for me to be on the side and out of control because of being in charge of the pro-life group back at home for quite a bit. It’s humbling, to not know exactly what’s going on in an on-the-fly situation. I’m used to being able to call the shots and make the phone calls, so it was scary and humbling. I was hearing lots of people in the group and via phone conversations say that this was very unusual for an arrest like this. So even more so I went into a hyper prayer mode and started texting friends to keep praying.
We were so blessed in the fact that our host homes welcomed us back with open arms and told us they would help us in whatever way we needed even if that meant raising the bail money. Once we were back at our host homes Sarah, Mary Rose and I were able to sit down and watch the 10 o’clock news and saw that our group and the arrest had made it on the news, not only at 10pm, but also at 5pm and 6pm. So there on the TV we saw both Brianna and Kristina being arrested, and saw them very rightfully asking what they were being arrested for and the police not answering. We also were able to notice later on that they were not even read their rights as they were being arrested.
So we watched that and went to bed, or at least tried to, some received phone calls during the night. Kristina and Brianna were able to get a local call out to a host home around 4am saying that they would be in court at 9am the next morning. So we got up early that morning packed everything up and hoped that we would get them out and on their way early so that we could get them bailed out and be on our way in time to make it to Birmingham and get some stuff done.
Vince and Sarah were being escorted to the other side by us, so we took a few steps back so that if they were arrested the cops wouldn’t come after us… I mean someone had to be there to make the phone calls and get them out right? So we continued to film and I continued to worry that they’d take them all in. Even though Survivors have been arrested in the past for standing up for their freedom of speech rights and won most (if not all) cases it’s still scary because when you think about the way our country could be going downhill you worry about our rights being taken away. I mean just the other month Jayne, her father, her sister, and a few others were arrested for praying in front of the White House?!?!?!?!! Since when has that been illegal?!
But anyway, I digress… a lot. So as it happened Sarah and Vince were not arrested and we were able to get our signs into our van. As we were walking to load everything up news station pulled up and Mary Rose (our 2nd in command) took up the torch and gave the channel a pretty good interview. So we packed up everything and our lovely hosts (Harriet and Judy) took us downtown to try to find Kristina and Brianna and where they took them so we could just go pay a small fine and get them out and fight the charges in court later. At least that was the plan we were expecting.
So we made it downtown and went to the city court… we were then told to go to the county court next door and that that is where they would be. So we went next door and then were told they would be in the city court. We told them we were just there, that they weren’t there; mind you at this point I’m starting to get pretty concerned. So they kept trying to give us the run around, but then this stranger who was super nice and commented on one of our pro-life shirts that he liked it was nice enough to tell us exactly where to go to get some information. So we went to the correct location which was behind both of the court buildings and after much pestering of the man behind the desk found out that the girls had been there, but that they had then been transferred to another place with holding cells where they would wait to be booked. So we asked how long that would be, they said they didn’t know the time, it would depend on that amount of prisoners waiting to be booked there.
So we mulled around outside the courts in our van, and then our two host home ladies said they knew a lady (Tanya) who lived downtown who had just called them and said we could come wait things out at her house. So we headed to Tanya’s house and went in and introduced ourselves. This woman also a sidewalk counselor had been arrested herself outside the abortion mill and charged with prostitution… now you tell me how they made up that charge against her?!!!
So we waited and waited… and waited some more. We ran back to the high school to try to do an interview with a news station that was filming live at the school, but just happened to miss their broadcast by the time we got there. But we did get some valuable information from the newscaster. We hadn’t been told when we were at the station what charges were being put against the girls… just that they were being held. So the newscaster was able to read us a quote from the arresting officer who said that they were being arrested for 1. Disorderly Conduct 2.Trespassing and 3. Interfering with a bus driver.
So we found this out and then rushed back to Tanya’s house to see if they heard anything yet, Tanya finally got fed up with waiting and started making phone calls. She managed to get ahold of the man who was booking over at the jail and he gave her a sob story about how he was the only one there working on booking. He told her that he wasn’t even sure they would be booked by midnight. So we packed up everyone in the van since it was about 10pm or so at night and decided to go back to our welcoming host homes and try to get some rest and make some phone calls since we didn’t think there was any way they’d be let go that night.
As we went back to our homes... I just kept trying to pray on the way, praying that they’d be safe, that they’d be warm. I think it’s hard for me to be on the side and out of control because of being in charge of the pro-life group back at home for quite a bit. It’s humbling, to not know exactly what’s going on in an on-the-fly situation. I’m used to being able to call the shots and make the phone calls, so it was scary and humbling. I was hearing lots of people in the group and via phone conversations say that this was very unusual for an arrest like this. So even more so I went into a hyper prayer mode and started texting friends to keep praying.
We were so blessed in the fact that our host homes welcomed us back with open arms and told us they would help us in whatever way we needed even if that meant raising the bail money. Once we were back at our host homes Sarah, Mary Rose and I were able to sit down and watch the 10 o’clock news and saw that our group and the arrest had made it on the news, not only at 10pm, but also at 5pm and 6pm. So there on the TV we saw both Brianna and Kristina being arrested, and saw them very rightfully asking what they were being arrested for and the police not answering. We also were able to notice later on that they were not even read their rights as they were being arrested.
So we watched that and went to bed, or at least tried to, some received phone calls during the night. Kristina and Brianna were able to get a local call out to a host home around 4am saying that they would be in court at 9am the next morning. So we got up early that morning packed everything up and hoped that we would get them out and on their way early so that we could get them bailed out and be on our way in time to make it to Birmingham and get some stuff done.
So we went the next morning to the court house
trying to find information and the docket to tell us when the girls would be
appearing before the judge. Again we got the run around from place to place,
not getting any straight information, but we were glad when Tanya arrived to
help us find some news. Well we found out that both the girls were going to be
held for $2000 dollars apiece and not be given a trial. So we ran around trying
to find some connections Tanya had to get the girls a trial. In the end a cop
came out to us sitting outside the court building and told us the girls were in
a court room. So we all rushed up there, some of us had to stand outside while
some other cases were taking place because it was crowded. But we all
eventually got in there to watch the case. I had been texting people like crazy
that day for prayer and kept going back in forth between the girls having a
court case and not having one. So Kristina was called up before the judge, and
waived her right to attorney since we didn’t have one present. She pleaded
not-guilty to all three charges and the judge looked over the case. He told her
she’d be released on her own recogniscence (ROR); we all breathed a huge sigh
of release. Kristina went back to sit down and next Brianna came up; again she
waved her right to an attorney also and pleaded not-guilty. She was also released
on her own recogniscence. What a relief and praise to hear we wouldn’t have to
bail them out. The judge however did set their court date for about a month
from now, but we assume that by then the school will drop any and all charges
since they are all false arrests.
Sadly we had to wait another 3 to 4 hours before the girls were actually released, they claimed the paperwork did not arrive, but we’re not sure if it was just the Jackson PD trying to give us more difficulty. So around 4pm both girls were released back to our team, there was much hugging and crying and plenty of camera crews to catch everything. The funny thing was, three of those camera crews were just there because of a drug bust, while one channel was really interested and was able to go get an interview with a Survivor (Jayne) before the girls were released. So we all loaded into the van glad to have them back and be reunited. We let them head back to a host home to get cleaned up first and then we started to make our way to Birmingham. Before the girls had been released we were happy to be joined by Jeff and Cheryl who are the founders and directors of Survivors (of the abortion holocaust) and also Father Terry and Sarah H.
So this whole ordeal was insane and crazy and wore all of us out, I don’t think one of us did not sleep well last night. We overall are so thankful for so many things. We are thankful for all the prayers given during the whole ordeal, so thank you all for that. We are thankful that the girls didn’t have to be bailed out and that we had a merciful and understanding judge. We are so thankful for all of our host homes (Judy, Harriet and Bill, Roy and Beverly, and all of the Mississippi Pro-lifers who helped and of course Tanya). We really wouldn’t have made it out of that situation without God blessing us all along the way. So thank you to everyone who called, everyone who prayed, and all of you who kept us in our thought, I really couldn’t be more thankful!
So what will happen from here, well I can tell you that we will be going after the city of Jackson for all the damage they did, to the girls and to our time that was taken away from ministry. So keep us and the lawyers in prayer as we pray for wisdom in how to pursue this all.
Sadly we had to wait another 3 to 4 hours before the girls were actually released, they claimed the paperwork did not arrive, but we’re not sure if it was just the Jackson PD trying to give us more difficulty. So around 4pm both girls were released back to our team, there was much hugging and crying and plenty of camera crews to catch everything. The funny thing was, three of those camera crews were just there because of a drug bust, while one channel was really interested and was able to go get an interview with a Survivor (Jayne) before the girls were released. So we all loaded into the van glad to have them back and be reunited. We let them head back to a host home to get cleaned up first and then we started to make our way to Birmingham. Before the girls had been released we were happy to be joined by Jeff and Cheryl who are the founders and directors of Survivors (of the abortion holocaust) and also Father Terry and Sarah H.
So this whole ordeal was insane and crazy and wore all of us out, I don’t think one of us did not sleep well last night. We overall are so thankful for so many things. We are thankful for all the prayers given during the whole ordeal, so thank you all for that. We are thankful that the girls didn’t have to be bailed out and that we had a merciful and understanding judge. We are so thankful for all of our host homes (Judy, Harriet and Bill, Roy and Beverly, and all of the Mississippi Pro-lifers who helped and of course Tanya). We really wouldn’t have made it out of that situation without God blessing us all along the way. So thank you to everyone who called, everyone who prayed, and all of you who kept us in our thought, I really couldn’t be more thankful!
So what will happen from here, well I can tell you that we will be going after the city of Jackson for all the damage they did, to the girls and to our time that was taken away from ministry. So keep us and the lawyers in prayer as we pray for wisdom in how to pursue this all.
Blessings,
Sarah
Missionary for Life and Survivor
Sarah
Missionary for Life and Survivor
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