FINALLY, DOJ ARRESTS TWO ABORTION ACTIVISTS FOR ATTACKING PRO LIFE CENTERS

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It only took approximately 235 attacks against pro-life groups over the last 12 months, but the DOJ has finally made some arrests. Two Florida residents, Caleb Freestone, 27 and Amber-Smith-Stewart 23, were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in the Middle District of Florida, for allegedly spray painting threats on pro-life pregnancy centers. The pair is charged with targeting pro-life facilities in Hollywood, Hialeah and Winter Haven, Florida.

The spray-painted threats included:

“IF ABORTIONS AREN’T SAFE THAN NEITHER ARE YOU”  “WE’RE COMING FOR YOU”  “WE ARE EVERYWHERE”  “YOUR TIME IS UP.”

The indictment alleges that the pair violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrance Act, commonly referred to as “FACE” or the “Access Act.” FACE prohibits violence, threatening, damaging and obstructive conduct intended to injure, interfere or intimidate with the right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services. If convicted, Freestone and Smith Stewart face a maximum of 12 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release and fines up to $350,000.  The FBI Tampa Field Office, with assistance from the Miami Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Thelwell for the Middle District of Florida and trial attorneys Sanjay Patel and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. The vandalism of these clinics and associated threats are frightening, but an even more extreme and organized group has been attacking pro-life facilities.

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A socialist, militant, extremist group that calls itself “Jane’s Revenge” has been claiming credit for many of the attacks

A socialist, militant, extremist group that calls itself “Jane’s Revenge” has been claiming credit for many of the attacks. The attacks consist of vandalism, firebombing and arson and have targeted crisis pregnancy centers, churches and even a Congressional office. Jane’s Revenge gets its name from the “Jane Collective” which was an underground abortion organization founded by Heather Booth that helped women obtain abortions prior to the Roe vs. Wade decision. Recently, a chain of pro-life centers in New York have been under siege from the group, prompting the owner, CompassCare to partner with the Thomas Moore Society, a nonprofit law firm to look into one such attack that took place against one of their centers in Buffalo in June of last year.   The CompassCare and Thomas Moore Society partnership will attempt to hire private investigators to look into the attack. The CEO of CompassCare, Jim Harden, felt the step was necessary due to a lack of urgency on the part of the FBI. That’s why these arrests are important, but let’s hope these are only the beginning.

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Over 22 times more violence directed against pro-life groups than pro-choice organizations

According to research done by the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC ):

“The bottom line is that after the Dobbs’ decision was leaked, there was over 22 times more violence directed against pro-life groups than pro-choice organizations. However, if the media is less likely to cover violence against pro-life organizations, the 22 times estimate will underestimate the relative violence against these groups.”

It should be noted that the U.S. Department of Justice keeps an up-to-date list of violence that’s aimed at facilities such as Planned Parenthood. However, it does not collect similar data for when violence is perpetrated against pro-life centers.  Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services, or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov.  For more information about clinic violence, and the department of justice’s efforts to enforce FACE act violations, please visit: NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.