FIVE OFFICERS HARASS PREACHER,
STEAL PROPERTY, AND FLEE THE SCENE  12/22/03

SPRINGFIELD, PA – On December 21, five officers of the Springfield Township Police Department arrived as Michael Marcavage, a field preacher with the Philadelphia-based REPENT AMERICA, was peacefully exercising free speech by holding anti-abortion signs on a public sidewalk.  The officers subdued Marcavage by bending his hand behind his back, which brought him to the ground.  Then, purposefully broke his two signs in front of him and fled the scene, taking the damaged signs and swiping a micro cassette recorder from his hand without citing or arresting him. 

Around 10AM, Marcavage was standing on a public sidewalk in Springfield, Pa. (just outside of Lansdowne where he resides).  He was facing traffic on the Baltimore Pike with two anti-abortion signs.  At approximately 10:50AM, two police officers pulled up in their police car, approached Marcavage, and asked what he was doing.  Marcavage explained, “I am here to show the people driving by the reality of abortion”.  One of the officers then responded, “the sign is pretty graphic”.  Marcavage agreed and said, “I certainly don’t enjoy holding these signs, but it grieves my heart that over 4,000 babies are killed everyday through abortion.  People need to see this truth.”  He then told the officers that he was willing to move to another part of the sidewalk, but the officers dodged this when one of them asked, “What group are you with?”  Marcavage then gave them a piece of literature with his ministry’s contact information. 

As the discussion went on, more police cars pulled up and one of the officers said that he could not stand on the sidewalk.  Marcavage then asked, “Is there another sidewalk I can go to?”  The officer replied, “Not in Springfield.  They’re all owned by the township.”  Marcavage then said, “that would make them public”.   

Sergeant Purcell with the Springfield Towship police then told Marcavage that he is in charge and that he could not stand on the sidewalk with his signs.  Marcavage asked, “What law am I breaking?”  At this point, one of the officers placed his hand on Marcavage’s sign and pulled it toward him while the other officer bent Marcavage’s hand behind his back to inflict pain, which resulted in bringing Marcavage to the ground.  The officers then pulled Marcavage up and swiped a micro cassette recorder from his hand, which he was using for his protection.  

Marcavage then witnessed one of the police officers breaking the signs, then folding them up.  Marcavage ended up being left on the sidewalk without his property, without citation, or arrest.

“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.  It should be shocking to Americans that this type of activity is going on in our country.  Now is the time that we must not only stand up for the unborn, but also for our children's right and duty to exercise their religion and speech." stated Len Brown, attorney for Marcavage.