HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - A 70-year-old woman led away from an abortion clinic in handcuffs last week is the latest example of escalating tensions between pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators in Huntsville.

Pro-choice demonstrator Lisa Cox recently swore out a warrant accusing pro-life leader Joyce Fecteau of spraying her in the face with an unknown substance. The alleged incident occurred Dec. 22 on the sidewalk outside Alabama Women's Center for Reproductive Alternatives, 612 Madison St.

Fecteau was arrested Jan. 9 and charged with misdemeanor harassment. A video of a praying Fecteau being escorted away from the clinic by a Huntsville police officer was posted on YouTube today.

In a Monday interview, Fecteau said the "unknown substance" was holy water that she keeps in a squirt bottle. She said she sprayed it because someone from the pro-choice group was walking close to her while burning a "noxious material."

"I had been told repeatedly by my health care provider not to breathe in that smoke because it's making me sick," said Fecteau. "I can't tell if (mist from the spray bottle) drifted on this lady's face."

Pamela Watters, organizer of the pro-choice group, said she believes Fecteau intentionally sprayed Cox and several others in the face.

"It was not labeled holy water," Watters said Monday. "My people didn't know what was in that bottle. It could have been ammonia, it could have been bleach."

Watters said the "noxious material" mentioned by Fecteau was a smudge stick -- a bundle of sage and other dried herbs used in some Native American rituals. Members of the pro-choice group try to make sure women get to their clinic appointments "with as little harassment as possible," she said.

"Every woman that goes in there is not going in for an abortion," said Watters. "Even if they are, that's a legal procedure in this country."

Father James Henderson, executive director of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, called Fecteau's arrest a "travesty" and said he hopes to rally at least 1,000 Christians to "stand with" Fecteau at her trial, which is scheduled for Feb. 21 in municipal court.

Fecteau can be found on the sidewalk outside Alabama Women's Center most Wednesdays and Saturdays, trying to talk with pregnant women before they go inside.

Henderson said abortion rights supporters began gathering outside the clinic in October and seem intent on "taking our space away from us." Pro-life demonstrators have had a city permit since 2004 to protest on the sidewalk outside the clinic and an adjoining business.

Henderson has refused to agree to a renewal of the permit because, he said, Huntsville police want to shrink the area available to his side. The pro-choice group uses the sidewalk immediately west of the clinic near the Madison Street-Lowe Avenue intersection.

"We cannot budge on having counselors where they can talk to those girls," said Henderson.

Watters said her group is also committed to maintaining a presence outside the clinic. "Our group keeps growing," she said. "We're not going anywhere."

Updated at 3:36 p.m. with comments from pro-choice organizer Pamela Watters, name of alleged spraying victim Lisa Cox.

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