(LifeSiteNews) – Alexander Kissiakov of Montreal, who was arrested and charged for standing in front of an abortion clinic handing out pamphlets to pregnant women to tell them about the psychological consequences of abortion, is asking the pro-life community to help him cover the legal costs he incurred for his defense of promoting a pro-life message.

On October 31, the Life Care Network launched a LifeFunder for Kissiakov to raise $15,000 to help cover legal expenses. It is only now that he can tell his story, as the court had issued a peace bond that prevented him from speaking publicly about his case until now.

“If you find my cause honorable and have the means to contribute, your support would be deeply appreciated,” Kissiakov said.

In September 2022, Kissiakov was arrested after protesting in front of an abortion clinic, where he gave a pamphlet to a person he thought was a patient but later turned out to be a nurse at the clinic who was offended by what he was doing.

“Following a renewed desire to ‘live by faith’ after watching Pastor Chuck Baldwin’s sermon, I stood on September 13, 2022, in front of an abortion clinic to distribute informational pamphlets to pregnant women about the psychological consequences of abortion — because I believed they had the right to know,” he said.

“Most declined to take one, and I respected their choice as they respected my right to be there.”

Kissiakov said that after the nurse said “no” to taking a pamphlet, the police were later called. He was wearing a shirt that quoted Psalm 22:10 on the front: “From my mother’s womb you have been my God.”

When police arrived, he was told to leave right away by the security guard, and that if he did not, the police would remove him. He made it a point to ask the police if he was under suspicion of committing a crime, and he was told he was not.

He said that he asked many times if he was being charged and was told he was not. Eventually, Kissiakov said, “police became agitated. They grabbed me violently, my phone fell, and the recording stopped.”

“They searched me while I was against the wall without informing me what crime I had committed or whether I was under arrest. After repeated demands for clarification, the police finally said that I was under arrest,” he said. 

He was told by one officer that he had done “mischief.” He later learned that he was charged with two counts of criminal harassment, one toward the nurse and one toward the users of the clinic.

He was also charged with one count of mischief for allegedly having “prevented, interrupted, or interfered with the lawful use, enjoyment, or operation of property exceeding $5,000 (the abortion clinic).”

“In other words, what began with the police assuring me I had committed no crime ended in three criminal charges,” he said.

After the trial, with the help of his video evidence, all charges against him were dropped after it became clear to the judge that he was told by police that he was not being charged, with him saying, “one officer even submitted a written confession to that effect.”

“The nurse claimed that I had followed her and tried to enter the clinic, but her account contradicted both my video evidence and the Crown’s own submissions,” he noted.

“She further alleged that I told her, ‘According to God’s law, one cannot have an abortion.’ I believe she confused the biblical verse on my T-shirt for words I had spoken, as I made no such statement. The judge found the nurse’s testimony unreliable and dismissed that charge.”

Kissiakov said the court determined that he was not in the wrong, with him saying, “neither security nor the police witnessed any interaction between me and the patients. Video evidence showed that I approached women briefly and always politely.”

“The court ruled that none of this behavior met the threshold for intimidation required under section 264(2)(d) of the Criminal Code, and that there was no evidence any patient actually feared for her safety. Filming women’s faces while expressing opposition to abortion did not constitute harassment. I was acquitted on this charge as well,” he noted. 

Surveillance footage confirmed that he has never blocked access to the clinic.

Kissiakov noted that although he was acquitted on all charges “due to insufficient evidence,” the judge expressed “serious concern about statements I made during my testimony.”

He paraphrased her remark below:

“He claimed to act under the supremacy of God, above human law; believed he had a duty to inform only women, expecting less violent reactions from them; wished to position his camera lower to better film women seeking abortions; continued filming one woman after she refused his pamphlet; defied repeated police orders because he believed his conscience overrode them; admitted lying to men to reach women with his message; and acknowledged his actions were politically incorrect and unwelcome but necessary to follow his conscience. The court warned that if the prosecution pursued a peace bond under section 810, it would be inclined to consider it.”

Kissiakov agreed to the peace bond, which is said to be “why I have been unable to speak publicly about this matter until now.”

“I am now seeking $15,000 to help cover my legal expenses. If you find my cause honorable and have the means to contribute, your support would be deeply appreciated,” he said.

To support Kissiakov, please visit his LifeFunder page.