According to a new report from the National Abortion Federation, attacks on abortion providers increased in 2021 as compared with 2020 for most types of crime.
There is an anti-abortion rally in Washington, DC.
Stalking, blockades, suspicious packages or hoax devices, invasions of abortion facilities, and assault and battery were some of the crimes against abortion providers.
Criminal activities did go down, but harassment and violence against abortion providers have increased.
Vandalism and assault and battery are the most common crimes against abortion providers, followed by hoax devices and suspicious packages.
According to the National Abortion Federation, attacks that took place while clinics were still open could not be reported because of staff shortages.
The FACE Act prohibits people from interfering with or intimidating anyone trying to access reproductive healthcare services through force or threat of force.
Several participants in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol building are known to be anti-abortion extremists, and abortion providers recognized a number of the people at the Capitol as they are the same people who target abortion clinics.
The Supreme Court is expected to release a ruling in the coming days that could overturn the Wade decision. The Department of Homeland Security said in an internal memo it anticipates the ruling will raise threats of violence both by anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights extremists, and the Associated Press reports abortion providers are bracing themselves for an increase in violence.
The anti-abortion rights advocates decried recent attacks by pro-abortion rights extremists that have taken place in the wake of a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court would overturn abortion rights. The Justice Department was asked to take action against attacks on crisis pregnancy centers by Republican lawmakers.
According to the National Abortion Federation, abortion providers have been subject to thousands of criminal incidents since abortion became legal in the 70s. CNN reported in 2015 that violence against abortion providers increased dramatically in the 1990s as extremists became more determined to curb abortion access. The National Abortion Federation reports that the FACE Act has been effective at stopping blockades of abortion facilities, but that attacks on abortion providers have continued to be a problem.
The National Abortion Federation has released a report on violence and disruption.
An abortion provider is bracing for a ruling.
There is a brief history of anti- abortion violence.
The Department of Homeland Security warned of threats from extremists on both sides of the abortion debate.
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