A video of the arrest of Franciscan Christopher Moscinsky, which took place on 7 July 2022, has been circulating online for a couple of years. According to the latest narrative, he was to be detained for praying for unborn children. This is a reference to one of the election promises of Kamala Harris, who announced the abolition of the ban on abortion currently in force in 22 states. In fact, Moscinsky was accused of blocking entrance to the Planned Parenthood of Greater New York clinic.
Father Moscinski being arrested
The video of the arrest of Moskinsky with a false narrative has been viewed almost 250,000 times. It was posted by Marek Kuna, a former social adviser to Przemysław Czarnek when he was the head of MEN. Kuna was dismissed for a post suggesting political opponents should be hanged.
Christopher Moscinski (he uses the first name Fidelis) is a pro-life activist of the Franciscan Order. According to indictment prepared by the prosecutor, Moscinski was not detained for praying for the unborn children. The real reason for the arrest was a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The 1994 law prohibits, among others, obstructing access to or provision of reproductive health services. The FACE Act also prohibits interference with the exercise of the right to religious freedom in places of religious worship.
As we can read in the indictment:
At 6:22 a.m. on 7 July 2022, Moscinski, a Franciscan friar, arrived at the health center wearing civilian garb. He fastened several padlocks and bicycle locks to the gated entrance of the health center, rendering the entrance impassable. Some of the locks had glue poured into them. After police and fire department personnel arrived at the health center and cut the padlocks, Moscinski returned to the scene wearing a religious robe, and laid his body in front of the gate, blocking vehicles from entering the health center’s parking lot until he was arrested by officers from the Hempstead Police Department.
Ultimately, the Franciscan was found guilty and sentenced to 6 months in prison. This was not Moscinski’s only sentence for violating the FACE act, as he had been convicted of similar offences many times before.
Summary
Father Christopher Moscinsky was not detained for praying for unborn children. According to the official indictment prepared by the prosecutor, the Franciscan was arrested and convicted of violating the FACE Act by blocking access to an abortion clinic.
Sources
Congress.gov: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/636
Biuro Prokuratora Stanów Zjednoczonych Wschodniego Dystryktu Nowego Jorku: Defendant Charged with Blocking Access to Planned Parenthood Health Center on Long Island
CNA: Franciscan friar gets 6 months in jail for blocking New York abortion clinic entrance
Franciscian Media: Franciscan friar sentenced to nearly a year behind bars for abortion clinic protests
