Abortion Foe Arrested for Clinic Attack in Pensacola

DENVER — An anti-abortion leader was arrested today on a warrant from Florida as he checked into a hotel here for the National Right to Life Committee convention, police said.

Joseph M. Scheidler, director of the Pro-Life Action League, was arrested on a March 27 warrant stemming from a disturbance at an abortion clinic in Pensacola the day before, authorities said. The warrant accuses Scheidler of conspiracy to commit a criminal act.

“I guess it’s come my turn to suffer for the children,” Scheidler, who is from Chicago, said in an interview from jail with Denver radio station KOA.

“It does seem that (the arrest) was coincided with this weekend because of some fear there might be some sort of conflict with the two organizations here that are opposed philosophically.”

The National Organization for Women also is holding its annual meeting in Denver this week.

Scheidler and his group were named Monday in a class-action lawsuit filed by NOW against anti-abortion leaders. NOW alleges that the leaders have violated federal antitrust laws by inciting their followers to try to drive abortion clinics out of business.

In the March 26 demonstration at the Pensacola clinic, four demonstrators rushed into the building, wrecked equipment and slightly injured the clinic’s director and a local NOW leader.

Scheidler was present at the demonstration at The Ladies Center, but was not one of the protesters who entered the building.