Cops threaten to jail pro-lifers outside abortion clinic for disobeying COVID-19 stay-at-home order. So activists start praying — and police leave.

A small group of pro-life activists were holding signs outside a Detroit abortion clinic Monday when at least eight police officers showed up and ordered them to leave, LiveAction reported.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

What are the details?

The cops said the activists demonstrating against Scotsdale Women's Center and Family Planning were violating Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order put in place to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. And like many other states, Michigan is allowing abortion clinics to stay open as an essential business.

And even thought the stay-at-home order allows individuals to be outside, the arriving police officers told the pro-lifers their activity wasn't essential.

"We're here for a violation of the stay-at-home order by the governor, OK?" one mask-wearing officer was heard saying on a cellphone video of the standoff. "This isn't essential to be out right now. … it's a $500 fine. If you keep this up after that, we'll take you to jail."

While the pro-life activists and officers argued back and forth over the Constitution and freedom of speech, one of the activists pointed out that protecting unborn babies from murder was an essential activity.

The officer told the group that "my boss is coming, and if my boss orders me to lock everybody up, that's what we'll do."

Offer to pray — and an amazing sight

At one point a pro-life activist asked the officers if he and his fellow activists could pray for them — and then an amazing thing took place.

At least three of the officers turned and left.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

And another two officers who'd also been debating the pro-lifers appeared to bow their heads during the prayer:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

After a cut in the video, all the officers were gone — and the pro-lifers said that all of the police eventually departed the scene. But a ticket was written up for the pro-lifers' misdeed.

Even more good news

The pro-lifers toward the end of the video revealed that twin babies had been saved from abortion that day, LiveAction said.

A woman had exited the abortion clinic and told the pro-lifers she thinks she changed her mind about having an abortion — also showing the activists an ultrasound image of her twin babies.

"God opened her eyes and God softened her heart, and she came out," pro-life activist Andrew Belanger said, the outlet said. "Amidst all of this [with the police] earlier, and God continues to bring encouragement: twins."

Anything else?

Later, Belanger and other activists filed a lawsuit against Whitmer and the city of Detroit saying police enforcement of the stay-at-home order that prevents their pro-life efforts on the sidewalks outside an abortion business violates the First and 14th Amendments, LiveAction said.

Here's the clip. The moment the pro-life activists begin praying comes just after the 6:30 mark:

Detroit Police Deem Abortion Essential - Freedom of Religion Non-Essentialyoutu.be