Ann Scheidler at the Holocaust Museum June 15
[Photo by Diane Levero]
Joe and Ann Scheidler took a quick trip to Washington, DC to join Defend Life’s Maryland Face the Truth Tour on June 15. They caught up with the Tour at the Naval Observatory. The site has a good volume of auto traffic and Defend Life had recruited over seventy activists who held the large signs along Massachusetts Avenue.
Jack Ames’ Tour coordinators, headed by Missy Smith, had rented a tour bus to transport the signs and the participants for the Washington DC tour sites. Bob Newman from Pittsburgh had brought his abortion signs and loaded them on the bus as well.
Following the Naval Observatory site, the tour group gathered for lunch at Queen of the Americas Catholic School hall. Joe spoke to the group about the value of their participation in Face the Truth and congratulated them on the courage to take the abortion message to the streets.
Tour Visits Holocaust Museum
After lunch and Joe’s talk, the group boarded the bus again to head for the Holocaust Museum where they set up the signs along 14th Street. Joe Scheidler was positioned in front of the Sidney Yates Federal Building until police moved everyone from that block, citing Homeland Security regulations since 9/11. The demonstration stretched for several blocks. Pedestrian traffic was heavy and included many high school groups visiting the Museum.
After more than an hour in front of the Museum, various law enforcement officers began to show up. The DC Metropolitan police, the Federal Homeland Security officers and the Museum security guards all conferred on how to handle the demonstration. Since the Museum is private property the federal authorities have no jurisdiction. Homeland Security is only in charge of federal buildings.
The DC police didn’t seem to want to get involved. Ann Scheidler was standing directly in front of the spot where they were holding their discussion. They finally decided that the demonstration would be over soon and since everything was quiet and peaceful, they would just wait around until the demonstrators left.
Many passers-by thanked the pro-lifers for being there. Teenage girls seemed particularly interested in the display and many took literature. The graphic abortion pictures make a powerful statement in front of the Holocaust Museum, dedicated to reminding Americans what can happen when evil gets a grip on society.
Links and Related Pages
- Father and Son Rally the Troops on Maryland Truth Tour — Story from Fall 2003 Action News
- Defend Life — Baltimore-based activist group headed by Jack Ames
