Tensions mount in the United States after abortion supporters held protests outside the homes of three Justices of the Supreme Court and at least two pro-life centres were set on fire following the leak that Roe v Wade might be overturned. Videos have also emerged of abortion supporters disrupting religious services and threatening to commit acts of religious desecration.
Following the Supreme Court leak last week, which apparently revealed the Justices’ intention to overturn Roe vs Wade and return abortion law to individual states, protesters gathered outside the personal residences of three of the nine Justices on Saturday and Monday night, demanding the abortion law remains as it is.
On Saturday 7 May, protesters marched from the house of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the house of Chief Justice John Roberts and on Monday about a hundred activists held a protest outside Justice Samuel Alito’s house. Justice Alito wrote the majority opinion of the Supreme Court leak that said Roe vs Wade should be overturned.
During the protest outside Alito’s residence, protesters could be heard chanting “Abort the Court”.
In response, the Senate voted unanimously for legislation to increase security for the Justices.
These attempts to influence a Justice, “in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge”, are likely illegal.
Arson and threats to pro-lifers
The headquarters of the pro-life group Wisconsin Family Action was set on fire on Sunday morning after a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the building. On the side of the building was spray-painted: “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either”.
Oregon Right to Life also reports that its headquarters were set on fire on Sunday night.
A pro-life centre in Texas, which provides pregnant women with free health assistance and alternatives to abortion, was also targeted with spray paint over the weekend.
According to the Denton Record-Chronicle, the words “not a clinic” and “forced birth is murder” were daubed outside the entrance.
Graffiti and intimidation at churches
Since the leak of the Supreme Court’s decision last Monday, a number of churches have been vandalised and had Mass disrupted by pro-abortion protesters. These include St. Louis Catholic Church in Louisville, Colorado; Notre Dame de Lourdes in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Holy Rosary Catholic Church, in Houston, Texas; the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, in San Francisco, California; the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, California and Sacred Heart of Mary in Boulder, Colorado.
The pro-abortion group, Ruth Sent Us, has specifically called for the targeting of Catholic and Evangelical churches and has said they will “be burning the Eucharist” as part of their response to the potential overturning of Roe vs Wade.
Right To Life UK spokesperson, Catherine Robinson, said: “Protests outside the houses of Supreme Court Justices, burning pro-life centres and vandalising churches are all open forms of intimidation and a naked attempt to frighten the Justices and pro-lifers in general. These actions represent an appalling attack on the rule of law and those responsible should be prosecuted swiftly and to the fullest extent of the law”.
“These intimidation tactics indicate that the pro-abortion movement in the United States is desperate and has nothing else to offer other than this temper tantrum”.
