Pro-lifers everywhere must understand that we are under attack by the Biden DOJ. In a previous article, I had written about the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU), and the DC5, five fetuses suspected of being aborted at or after birth. In October 2020, Lauren Handy, a self-described Catholic Anarchist, led the takeover of an abortion clinic blocking access to the clinic. During the takeover an employee of the clinic was injured. Handy’s actions were clearly a violation of the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) act. In what has become a clear pattern of prosecuting those that have different views than the current administration, Lauren Handy was recently given 57 months in prison for her actions. While Handy’s actions clearly broke the law, we are seeing stronger enforcement, a broader interpretation of the law, and much more severe punishment against those who share different values than the DOJ. Let’s take a look.
Attack on Pro-Lifers!
This isn’t the first time we are seeing excessive force and action taken against pro-life people protesting against abortion:
- In addition to Handy, eight other protestors were sentenced to anywhere from 10 months (one defendant plead guilty), to up to 3 years in prison. The defendants were all guilty as they did takeover the abortion clinic, but the penalties were significant and some feel excessive.
- Pro-Life sidewalk counselor Mark Houck and family had their home raided by the FBI in September 2022 for two “incidents” that occurred in Philadelphia in October 2021. 25 Federal and State agents were sent to Houck’s home at 6:45AM with guns drawn on Houck, his wife, and their 7 children. This was in response to a dispute where Houck pushed an employee of the abortion center who he felt was threatening his 12 year-old son. Houck was acquitted of all charges in January 2023.
- 6 pro-life defendants were convicted of blocking the door to an abortion clinic in Tennessee in 2021. They did break the FACE law, but face penalties up to maximum of up to 10.5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and fines up to $260K each.
The trend continues …….
The trend indicates that those arrested for defending life are being treated with a much heavier hand than those who support abortion and commit similar crimes:
- Two anti-abortion protestors were arrested and charged with defacing public property when they wrote pro-life messages on the sidewalk in chalk in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic in the summer of 2020. The defendants brought a lawsuit against the DC court alleging that the law was “unconstitutionally enforced” as Black Lives Matter protests did the same thing and no charges were ever filed. The lower court disagreed and said they had no case. On appeal, this was unanimously reversed and allowed to proceed.
- The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) released a “Threat Assessment of the Post-Dobbs era”. There were at least 63 pro-life organizations attacked in 26 states and DC between the May 2022, and September 2022. Between May 2020 and September 2022 there were at least “174 catholic targets in 38 states attacks have occurred against at least 174 Catholic targets in 38 states and the District of Columbia, including arson, desecration and defacement, property destruction, theft, and other state and federal crimes.” I went to the DOJ site and have not found much if any information on the defendants in these cases and have requested the link (if one exists). There is a page on prosecution against those that have attacked pro-abortion centers, but I cannot find a similar page on attacks on religious and pro-life locations. The link to the DOJ page is here.
- In June 2022, the CompassCare pro-life pregnancy center near Buffalo NY was the victim of an arson attack. Two unnamed defendents were arrested for the crime. The center was then vandalized in March 2023. As of October 11, 2023 they were not publicly identified. Lawyers for the pregnancy center launched a federal lawsuit against the DOJ as the case wasn’t moving forward. The two defendants are ‘known pro-abortion activists”. Jim Harden, CEO of the pregnancy center and plaintiff CompassCare Pregnancy Services, said in a statement about the suit: “It is ridiculous that as pro-life citizens we are forced to do the job of both the FBI and DOJ. The FBI refused to investigate so we hired private investigators. The DOJ refuses to indict, so we brought FACE charges,”. An activist was arrested and plead guilty to disorderly conduct (less serious than a misdemeanor) for vandalizing the center. The defendant was initially charged with a felony that was later dropped to a citation. The center in their lawsuit wants the FACE Act included as a charge.
The Biden Administration has been accused of persecuting their political opponents and on initial view this looks to be the case for pro-life prosecutions. We will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available. All comments are welcome and I will respond as quickly as I can.
Peace
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