Syracuse, N.Y., pastor and bookseller Jon Speed closed his business Jan. 23 in the wake of the abortion bill signed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. 

“The book store is closed today,” Speed wrote in a Facebook post. “It is a day of mourning in New York. In honor of the thousands of babies that will die in the years to come, we shall not be collecting sales tax for this tyrannical government today. We will on other days, under duress, but not today.”

Speed, who pastors Christ Is King Baptist Church, is a longtime pro-life activist who co-produced the documentary “Babies Are Murdered Here.”

When news spread of Speed’s protest and some called him a hero, he deflected that praise, writing, “I am no hero. … Jesus Christ conquered death. He smashed Satan’s head. He paid for my sin and gave me His righteousness. It’s time we went out into the public forum and declared His victory. Let all of hell (and Albany) quake. Its gates cannot stop the mighty advance of the church. Christ is King.”