Pro-life groups have been easy targets for pro-choice harassment aimed at trying to shut them up and shut them down.In Canada, the lives of a conservatively estimated four million pre-born babies — who can be snuffed out right up to birth — have been lost to abortion since it was decriminalized in 1969. The industry costs taxpayers more than $100 million annually.In the absence of legal protection for the unborn, pro-life groups attempt to fight for their rights, with prayer and awareness campaigns their weapons of choice. Pro-choice activists have basically had free reign to go after them unchallenged.But a court ruled that one activist went too far because all Canadians “may speak what they understand to be the truth” without being “hectored.”Ontario pro-choice activist Brooke Dietrich said she was just “trying to send a message” with her TikTok campaign to disrupt pro-life prayer vigils.Well, the Ontario Court of Appeal sent the Cambridge, Ontario graduate student a strong message — pay costs and prepare for trial.40 Days For Life, a Christian group that holds vigils on streets outside hospitals and abortion clinics, may proceed with claims of internet harassment, defamation, and civil conspiracy against Dietrich.“These issues should go to trial,” wrote Court of Appeal Justice Bradley Miller, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.The court ruled that Christians may litigate against TikTok “digital activism” designed to disrupt pro-life prayer vigils.Dietrich was also ordered to pay $10,000 in costs. She managed to raise only $1,930 through GoFundMe in eight months.“I am being sued for over $300,000 and have mounting legal fees,” said Dietrich in her appeal for cash.40 Days For Life, which has nine branches in Ontario, was targeted in 2021 with TikTok videos inviting viewers to contact employees of 40 Days, and disrupt 12-hour public prayer vigils.Dietrich posted videos that had more than 300,000 views, and in two videos posted contact information for two 40 Days employees.They were fair game, according to Dietrich. But getting contact information to speak with abortionists and pro-choice warriors who fiercely shield their privacy is almost always an exercise in futility.“She made negative comments about 40 Days For Life and its activities including by stating that 40 Days lied, spread ‘false health information’ and engaged in ‘fearmongering’ and ‘harassment,’ ” wrote Miller.It's a refreshing ruling that upholds basic freedom of speech and religious rights that have been under attack — it isn’t just pro-life groups — in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Canada. “A free and democratic society is one that is committed to permitting everyone to speak what they understand to be the truth about the most profound questions of being and flourishing and to advocate for laws and policies that reflect this,” wrote Miller.Dietrich’s campaign against 40 Days included advising viewers to enrol in prayer vigils “then not show up.” She encouraged filing reports to Facebook alleging harassment by 40 Days and pretending to purchase merchandize from its website. (The shopping cart abandonment tactic fills a virtual cart but doesn’t complete the purchase causing merchandize to be placed on hold which interferes with sales.)40 Days was successful in obtaining an injunction to halt the TikTok campaign.In March 2022, Ontario Superior Court Justice M.J. Valente ordered Dietrich and unnamed allies to stop the “sabotage” of 40 Days prayer campaigns. The order prohibited anyone from reposting her TikToks, registering for vigils without intent to attend, and participating in “sabotage or interference” with its charitable or business interests.The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) intervened on Dietrich’s behalf — arguing that political expression including online activism is protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It said TikTok has become a “vibrant and accessible forum for political expression and organizing” that youth use as “a springboard for clever forms of online protest.” The CCLA cited ‘success’ in flooding Texas Right to Life’s website and “inciting thousands of false registrations” for a Trump rally in Oklahoma. So, the CCLA selectively approves of the right to “exchange ideas, express opinions and participate in protest.”Dietrich lost that April 2023 appeal. It landed in the lap of the Ontario Court of Appeal.Justice Miller was unsympathetic to Dietrich’s argument that she was a persecuted graduate student in her appeal to toss out the case.“Ms. Dietrich argues that what is really going on in this litigation is that a well-funded adversary is using litigation to silence a young graduate student who successfully used TikTok to counter protest it’s activities,” wrote Miller.He reasoned that her interference with 40 Days activities and vigils is “qualitatively different from counter speech” and noted that 40 Days didn’t take issue with Dietrich’s pro-choice stand.“At root the expressions did not involve an effort to counter speech with speech. Instead, Ms. Dietrich is alleged to have led a campaign to prevent 40 Days from organizing and expressing its views.”In her GoFundMe appeal, Dietrich described herself as someone “deeply committed to activism.”“Over the years, I’ve dedicated my time and energy to a (sic) myriad of social justice initiatives. I have served as a medic at Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, I have helped organize prochoice rallies, I have participated in campaigns to support beds for animal shelters, and I have contributed to campaigns fighting against hate speech.”“Together, we can make a difference and protect the fundamental rights we hold dear,” she wrote.But not everybody holds “dear” the idea of 100,000 annual induced abortions, according to Campaign Life Coalition’s (CLC) statistics. Many Canadian taxpayers oppose funding abortion that the CLC has determined costs taxpayers more than $100 million annually.These are likely conservative estimates due to only hospitals, not abortion clinics, being required to report the number of abortions performed. Statistics may not include chemical abortions.“In Canada, one baby is aborted for every four born alive,” claimed CLC.Not all Canadians hold “dear” Section 223 of the Criminal Code that states a child “becomes a human being” when it has “completely proceeded” from its mother’s body — allowing abortion any time during nine months of pregnancy.In fact, many believe life begins at conception. And so, they pray. And for that they are targeted by activists who don’t always play by the rules because they simply don’t like the idea of people praying for the unborn.This time the Christians fought back, and the courts have defended their right to do.
Pro-life groups have been easy targets for pro-choice harassment aimed at trying to shut them up and shut them down.In Canada, the lives of a conservatively estimated four million pre-born babies — who can be snuffed out right up to birth — have been lost to abortion since it was decriminalized in 1969. The industry costs taxpayers more than $100 million annually.In the absence of legal protection for the unborn, pro-life groups attempt to fight for their rights, with prayer and awareness campaigns their weapons of choice. Pro-choice activists have basically had free reign to go after them unchallenged.But a court ruled that one activist went too far because all Canadians “may speak what they understand to be the truth” without being “hectored.”Ontario pro-choice activist Brooke Dietrich said she was just “trying to send a message” with her TikTok campaign to disrupt pro-life prayer vigils.Well, the Ontario Court of Appeal sent the Cambridge, Ontario graduate student a strong message — pay costs and prepare for trial.40 Days For Life, a Christian group that holds vigils on streets outside hospitals and abortion clinics, may proceed with claims of internet harassment, defamation, and civil conspiracy against Dietrich.“These issues should go to trial,” wrote Court of Appeal Justice Bradley Miller, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.The court ruled that Christians may litigate against TikTok “digital activism” designed to disrupt pro-life prayer vigils.Dietrich was also ordered to pay $10,000 in costs. She managed to raise only $1,930 through GoFundMe in eight months.“I am being sued for over $300,000 and have mounting legal fees,” said Dietrich in her appeal for cash.40 Days For Life, which has nine branches in Ontario, was targeted in 2021 with TikTok videos inviting viewers to contact employees of 40 Days, and disrupt 12-hour public prayer vigils.Dietrich posted videos that had more than 300,000 views, and in two videos posted contact information for two 40 Days employees.They were fair game, according to Dietrich. But getting contact information to speak with abortionists and pro-choice warriors who fiercely shield their privacy is almost always an exercise in futility.“She made negative comments about 40 Days For Life and its activities including by stating that 40 Days lied, spread ‘false health information’ and engaged in ‘fearmongering’ and ‘harassment,’ ” wrote Miller.It's a refreshing ruling that upholds basic freedom of speech and religious rights that have been under attack — it isn’t just pro-life groups — in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Canada. “A free and democratic society is one that is committed to permitting everyone to speak what they understand to be the truth about the most profound questions of being and flourishing and to advocate for laws and policies that reflect this,” wrote Miller.Dietrich’s campaign against 40 Days included advising viewers to enrol in prayer vigils “then not show up.” She encouraged filing reports to Facebook alleging harassment by 40 Days and pretending to purchase merchandize from its website. (The shopping cart abandonment tactic fills a virtual cart but doesn’t complete the purchase causing merchandize to be placed on hold which interferes with sales.)40 Days was successful in obtaining an injunction to halt the TikTok campaign.In March 2022, Ontario Superior Court Justice M.J. Valente ordered Dietrich and unnamed allies to stop the “sabotage” of 40 Days prayer campaigns. The order prohibited anyone from reposting her TikToks, registering for vigils without intent to attend, and participating in “sabotage or interference” with its charitable or business interests.The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) intervened on Dietrich’s behalf — arguing that political expression including online activism is protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It said TikTok has become a “vibrant and accessible forum for political expression and organizing” that youth use as “a springboard for clever forms of online protest.” The CCLA cited ‘success’ in flooding Texas Right to Life’s website and “inciting thousands of false registrations” for a Trump rally in Oklahoma. So, the CCLA selectively approves of the right to “exchange ideas, express opinions and participate in protest.”Dietrich lost that April 2023 appeal. It landed in the lap of the Ontario Court of Appeal.Justice Miller was unsympathetic to Dietrich’s argument that she was a persecuted graduate student in her appeal to toss out the case.“Ms. Dietrich argues that what is really going on in this litigation is that a well-funded adversary is using litigation to silence a young graduate student who successfully used TikTok to counter protest it’s activities,” wrote Miller.He reasoned that her interference with 40 Days activities and vigils is “qualitatively different from counter speech” and noted that 40 Days didn’t take issue with Dietrich’s pro-choice stand.“At root the expressions did not involve an effort to counter speech with speech. Instead, Ms. Dietrich is alleged to have led a campaign to prevent 40 Days from organizing and expressing its views.”In her GoFundMe appeal, Dietrich described herself as someone “deeply committed to activism.”“Over the years, I’ve dedicated my time and energy to a (sic) myriad of social justice initiatives. I have served as a medic at Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, I have helped organize prochoice rallies, I have participated in campaigns to support beds for animal shelters, and I have contributed to campaigns fighting against hate speech.”“Together, we can make a difference and protect the fundamental rights we hold dear,” she wrote.But not everybody holds “dear” the idea of 100,000 annual induced abortions, according to Campaign Life Coalition’s (CLC) statistics. Many Canadian taxpayers oppose funding abortion that the CLC has determined costs taxpayers more than $100 million annually.These are likely conservative estimates due to only hospitals, not abortion clinics, being required to report the number of abortions performed. Statistics may not include chemical abortions.“In Canada, one baby is aborted for every four born alive,” claimed CLC.Not all Canadians hold “dear” Section 223 of the Criminal Code that states a child “becomes a human being” when it has “completely proceeded” from its mother’s body — allowing abortion any time during nine months of pregnancy.In fact, many believe life begins at conception. And so, they pray. And for that they are targeted by activists who don’t always play by the rules because they simply don’t like the idea of people praying for the unborn.This time the Christians fought back, and the courts have defended their right to do.
