Opposition to an ordinance passed in Ohio’s capital to restrict pro-life prayer counselors has come from an unexpected source.

The Columbus City Council has approved a 15-foot censorship zone at abortion clinics, meaning pro-life counselors can get no closer than that to encourage woman and girls to not terminate the life of their child – or even to hand them pro-life literature. One of the groups opposing the ordinance is, interestingly enough, the American Civil Liberties Union.

Mark Harrington of Columbus-based Created Equal tells OneNewsNow that one of the arguments for passage was protection of women and staff.

“They try to cite these supposed statistics that there’s been an increase in violence, an increase in harassment across the country,” explains the pro-life leader, “but they can’t back up the numbers.”

Harrington adds that when his group pushed to find out the source of those statistics, the answer was apparently Planned Parenthood – the nation’s biggest abortion-provider.

Harrington

In effect, the ordinance would mean in some cases the pro-life prayer warriors would have to stand in the middle of the street to comply. Harrington argues there’s just one reason why the city would consider such an ordinance: “We’re being effective on the sidewalk. We’re saving babies,” he states.

“Planned Parenthood’s on the defense and they’re doing all they can to shut down speech in front of the abortion centers in our city. That’s what this is about,” he continues. “It’s an attempt to intimidate peaceful pro-life prayer and protest outside of abortion centers in Columbus, Ohio.”

Harrington fully expects a lawsuit will be filed to block the ordinance – perhaps even by the ACLU.