The New York Police Department arrested at least eight pro-abortion protestors during the event, one social media user who was at the event told CNA.
Catherine Donohoe, president of the Pregnancy Service Network and one of the speakers at the rally, told CNA that she estimated there were about 120 pro-abortion protestors.
She said the walk was a good way to begin Holy Week and to join in Christ’s passion.
“People screamed obscenities at him and cursed him and spit at him. And that’s what was happening; we were being spat at and cursed out,” Donohoe said. “But God always told us, and St. Paul reiterated, that being a witness to Christ is never going to be easy. We’re not asking you to have an easy life. We’re asking you to be obedient, and that’s what we were doing. We were being obedient to God’s call to protect the voiceless.”
Despite all the hardships, it was a “wonderful day,” Donohue said.
“We were soaked, I was drenched,” she said, “but this was nothing compared to what Christ endured.”
Abortion is legal through all nine months of pregnancy in New York.
Donohoe, whose pregnancy network helps 5,000 women and children per year, said that events such as the walk are important to let people know that there are other options and resources besides abortion.
“The politicians are so against us,” she said, “but it’s important for people to know that there are people out there that can help you.”
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Phil McManus, another pro-life New Yorker who took part in the walk, told CNA that it was an “amazing thing to see such dedication” among the pro-lifers.
“There’s no doubt that there is a spiritual war, which turns into a physical war,” he said. “You could see the power of God and you could also see the power of Satan on the other side.”
As pro-abortion as the laws already are in New York, McManus said he believes it will only continue getting worse unless pro-lifers and people of faith “step up.”
“I believe they’re expanding the death culture to sick people, elderly, people that are marginal and are not able to protect themselves. It’s spreading and we have to do everything we can to say ‘Enough is enough.’”
“We could preach to the choir but what we need to do is to preach to Main Street. We need to get out there,” he said. “That’s what this walk is all about.”