San Diego
San Diego’s Roman Catholic leader, Bishop Leo T. Maher, condemned Friday the San Diego Police Department policy “of inflicting pain upon nonviolent protesters,” such as the use of nunchakus to subdue anti-abortion protesters “who may transgress the civil law when demonstrating against unjust laws.”
The bishop sent his denouncement of police use of force against members of Project Rescue to pastors of parishes in the city of San Diego. His message will be read at masses this weekend. He told the Catholic pastors to ask their congregations to write letters of protest to the San Diego police chief and city manager about the police practices.
“We are all obligated to reverse the unjust laws that allow abortion clinics to kill innocent unborn babies,” the bishop said.
“While we cannot condone the violation of civil law, we can condemn the proposed use of the painful and cruel techniques of nunchakus by our Police Department,” the bishop said.
“Torture in the name of ‘crowd control’ has no place in our society. The precious rights of assembly and free speech should not be endangered.”
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