A video of a woman assaulted at a pro-life event in Canada for her views on abortion has gone viral, with more than 3.5 million hits on YouTube.
Marie-Claire Bissonnette, 27, was protesting against abortion at the annual Life Chain march in Toronto, when she calmly confronted a man who was defacing signs with marker pens.
The man asked her about abortion in cases of rape, and after she began to respond “It’s a baby…”, he kicked her hard in the shoulder, knocking her phone from her hand.
Hostility
Despite claiming to have only meant to kick her phone, the man tore a ribbon she had been wearing from her chest and ran before police could arrive.
Marie-Claire is the Youth Coordinator of Campaign Life Coalition, and said that her experience of hostility towards pro-lifers was not an isolated incident.
She explained that on the same day, a man who was peacefully praying at the event had paint poured over him by a pro-abortionist, and was oblivious until he felt the liquid and turned around to see the woman grinning at him.
Violence and aggression
She continued: “I’ve participated in many public pro-life activities throughout my life. This isn’t the first time I’ve been attacked.
“Rocks have been thrown at me. I’ve been spat upon multiple times and pushed. Men have aggressively asked how I would like it if they raped me and forced me to have an abortion.
“There is a media-driven narrative that pro-life activists are violent and a danger to women. This is a bald-faced lie.
“The only violence or aggression I’ve witnessed in my many years in the pro-life movement comes entirely from pro-abortion activists, and yet it’s rarely, if ever, reported.”
Jordan Hunt
The attacker was later identified as hair stylist Jordan Hunt, and was subsequently fired from the salon he worked for.
While police were initially unhelpful and discouraged Marie-Claire from making a complaint, they have now arrested Hunt and have charged him with assault.
Marie-Claire says she has forgiven Hunt and has urged others to pray for him.