
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 18, 1993                   TAG: 9307180122
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

OPERATION RESCUE OFFICIAL JAILED

A 10-day campaign of abortion protests in selected cities wound down Saturday with the jailing of a campaign leader in Florida, the arrests of 45 demonstrators in Mississippi and sparsely attended demonstrations elsewhere.

The "Cities of Refuge" campaign sponsored by Operation Rescue ends this weekend in seven cities, including Jackson, Miss., where police arrested the 45 abortion opponents outside a clinic Saturday morning.

Three people were arrested in San Jose, Calif., and one in Cleveland.

Police in Jackson said the protesters ran through the entrance of the clinic and jumped fences. All 45 were charged with trespassing.

Ten scheduled abortions were completed by about 9 a.m., clinic officials said, and protesters - except for a few stragglers - disbanded when the clinic closed.

Operation Rescue's executive director, Keith Tucci, was arrested at Melbourne, Fla., on a contempt of court charge when he returned to the state to mark the completion of the "Cities of Refuge" campaign.

Tucci had promised to surrender on Monday, but was arrested when he arrived at Florida's Melbourne International Airport.

by CNB