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| Alleged arsons at Planned Parenthood clinics reported in wake of 'sting' videos | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Two suspicious fires are being investigated at Planned Parenthood facilities in Illinois and Louisiana, after advocates of legal abortion went more than a year without an arson. | Two suspicious fires are being investigated at Planned Parenthood facilities in Illinois and Louisiana, after advocates of legal abortion went more than a year without an arson. |
| The fires happened in the days and weeks following the release of so-called “sting” videos that purported to show employees trafficking in fetal organs. The fires accompanied an increase in threats of violence, providers said. | The fires happened in the days and weeks following the release of so-called “sting” videos that purported to show employees trafficking in fetal organs. The fires accompanied an increase in threats of violence, providers said. |
| “In my 20 years with [the National Abortion Federation], I have never seen the escalation and extent of hate speech and threats,” said Vicki Saporta, president of National Abortion Federation. Members of NAF represent clinics and hospitals that serve roughly half the women who seek abortions in the US. | “In my 20 years with [the National Abortion Federation], I have never seen the escalation and extent of hate speech and threats,” said Vicki Saporta, president of National Abortion Federation. Members of NAF represent clinics and hospitals that serve roughly half the women who seek abortions in the US. |
| The FBI refused to comment on the arson investigations and declined to identify motives of possible attackers. No public data about the scope of death threats exists, and advocates declined to share threats with the Guardian. | The FBI refused to comment on the arson investigations and declined to identify motives of possible attackers. No public data about the scope of death threats exists, and advocates declined to share threats with the Guardian. |
| “We asked the Department of Justice to hold a meeting of the taskforce of the Violence Against Healthcare Providers so we could express our concerns, make them aware of the escalation that our members were reporting, and that we were experiencing, and enlist their support in investigating the threats and criminal activity,” Saporta said. | “We asked the Department of Justice to hold a meeting of the taskforce of the Violence Against Healthcare Providers so we could express our concerns, make them aware of the escalation that our members were reporting, and that we were experiencing, and enlist their support in investigating the threats and criminal activity,” Saporta said. |
| Saporta said she believes the videos have resulted in a dramatic spike in threats against abortion providers. | Saporta said she believes the videos have resulted in a dramatic spike in threats against abortion providers. |
| “We track this, so it’s real, it’s frightening and very concerning,” she said. “It’s been dramatic, in terms of what clinics are reporting to us and what we are ourselves uncovering.” | “We track this, so it’s real, it’s frightening and very concerning,” she said. “It’s been dramatic, in terms of what clinics are reporting to us and what we are ourselves uncovering.” |
| The FBI is investigating one fire in New Orleans and another in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois – sites where local controversy has simmered over clinics’ locations. | The FBI is investigating one fire in New Orleans and another in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois – sites where local controversy has simmered over clinics’ locations. |
| Abortion providers have experienced an average of 1.3 fires per year for the last 10 years, according to data collected by the National Abortion Federation. Five arsons were committed in 2012, the most in one year since 2004. No arsons were reported in 2013, and there was one in 2014. Still, the appalling history of intimidation directed at clinics makes it difficult to draw a direct cause-and-effect line. In 2012, NAF confirmed five arsons that targeted abortion providers, and there have been 58 since 1995. | Abortion providers have experienced an average of 1.3 fires per year for the last 10 years, according to data collected by the National Abortion Federation. Five arsons were committed in 2012, the most in one year since 2004. No arsons were reported in 2013, and there was one in 2014. Still, the appalling history of intimidation directed at clinics makes it difficult to draw a direct cause-and-effect line. In 2012, NAF confirmed five arsons that targeted abortion providers, and there have been 58 since 1995. |
| In New Orleans, firefighters found the front half of a car on fire behind a locked gate at the construction site of a future Planned Parenthood clinic at 3.45am on 1 August. One year prior, the site was the scene of protests that police felt necessitated extra security. | In New Orleans, firefighters found the front half of a car on fire behind a locked gate at the construction site of a future Planned Parenthood clinic at 3.45am on 1 August. One year prior, the site was the scene of protests that police felt necessitated extra security. |
| In Aurora, Planned Parenthood officials said there was an attempted arson outside the clinic’s front door on 19 July. It’s unclear what time the attempted arson took place. The FBI declined to comment on either. | In Aurora, Planned Parenthood officials said there was an attempted arson outside the clinic’s front door on 19 July. It’s unclear what time the attempted arson took place. The FBI declined to comment on either. |
| Both fires happened after the Center for Medical Progress, a California-based group of anti-abortion activists, gained access to top Planned Parenthood executives by presenting themselves as Biomax Procurement LLC, a fake fetal tissue procurement company. On 14 July, the activists began releasing heavily edited footage which they described as evidence the employees were selling fetal tissue. Those charges have since been debunked. | Both fires happened after the Center for Medical Progress, a California-based group of anti-abortion activists, gained access to top Planned Parenthood executives by presenting themselves as Biomax Procurement LLC, a fake fetal tissue procurement company. On 14 July, the activists began releasing heavily edited footage which they described as evidence the employees were selling fetal tissue. Those charges have since been debunked. |
| NAF has since initiated its own lawsuit against CMP, after the federation concluded that the group’s leader, David Daleiden, infiltrated its 2014 and 2015 annual conferences. The suit has thus far succeeded in preventing publication of videos filmed there. | NAF has since initiated its own lawsuit against CMP, after the federation concluded that the group’s leader, David Daleiden, infiltrated its 2014 and 2015 annual conferences. The suit has thus far succeeded in preventing publication of videos filmed there. |
| One alleged death threat offered $10,000 to murder a doctor prominently featured in the videos, court documents from the lawsuit show. The comment was made below a news article about the subject, advocates said. The same commenters also allegedly threatened the CEO of StemExpress Inc, a fetal tissue procurement company highlighted in the first CMP video, according to the same declaration. | One alleged death threat offered $10,000 to murder a doctor prominently featured in the videos, court documents from the lawsuit show. The comment was made below a news article about the subject, advocates said. The same commenters also allegedly threatened the CEO of StemExpress Inc, a fetal tissue procurement company highlighted in the first CMP video, according to the same declaration. |
| The Guardian was unable to independently confirm the threats. | The Guardian was unable to independently confirm the threats. |
| Penn State University political science professor James Piazza has studied the predictors of extreme rightwing violence, including against abortion clinics, in a study surveying 1970 to 2011. He believes there are several factors that could aggravate extremists, other than the videos. Among them are female workforce participation and a Democrat in the White House – signs that he believes point to political frustration. | |
| “Politics at the national level seems to play a pretty big role in periods where these sorts of attacks seem to go up,” said Piazza, about threats that are carried out. “That really elevates things in the public.” | “Politics at the national level seems to play a pretty big role in periods where these sorts of attacks seem to go up,” said Piazza, about threats that are carried out. “That really elevates things in the public.” |
| Still, Florida State University professor Mary Ziegler, who recently authored After Roe: The Lost History of the Abortion Debate, believes it would be an unusual time to feel aggrieved politically, since the videos have gained traction in the Republican presidential debate, in congressional investigations and in state defunding efforts. | Still, Florida State University professor Mary Ziegler, who recently authored After Roe: The Lost History of the Abortion Debate, believes it would be an unusual time to feel aggrieved politically, since the videos have gained traction in the Republican presidential debate, in congressional investigations and in state defunding efforts. |
| “This would be kind of a weird time to be frustrated,” said Ziegler, noting that nearly every Republican presidential candidate has taken an extreme anti-abortion position, and states and Congress are investigating Planned Parenthood. | “This would be kind of a weird time to be frustrated,” said Ziegler, noting that nearly every Republican presidential candidate has taken an extreme anti-abortion position, and states and Congress are investigating Planned Parenthood. |
| “If that’s true, it says something new about who the lone wolves are [and] why they’re getting frustrated,” Ziegler said. | “If that’s true, it says something new about who the lone wolves are [and] why they’re getting frustrated,” Ziegler said. |