On the way into the lab this morning we passed by a large protest at the local abortion clinic. A few dozen people were lining the streets with graphic signs of aborted fetuses and other horrible atrocities. These placards are designed for moral ’shock and awe’, and I have no doubt that they work.
However, the situation led me to remark how strange it is that those protesters are seen as within the law;
Mayor Brad Woodside and Fredericton police asked the protesters to remove the material from public view. But as long as the group worked peacefully and didn’t disrupt traffic, they were allowed to continue protesting.
Yet if I were to stand on the street with a large photo of a nude woman I would no doubt be arrested and fined.
What do YOU find more obscene? Grotesque photos of death or a graphic depiction of the human body?
Criminal Code Section 163 - “Corrupting Morals”
Food for thought.