DOJ: Investigate the recent string of attacks on Planned Parenthood clinics as domestic terrorism!

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Planned Parenthood clinics attacked

DOJ: Investigate the recent string of attacks on Planned Parenthood clinics as domestic terrorism!

On Friday, a heavily armed man, who appears to be a conservative extremist, opened fire in a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, killing three people and injuring nine others.1

This deadly assault is not an aberration.2

Since August, anti-abortion extremists, among them congressional Republicans, have used deceptively edited, secretly recorded videos to launch a full-scale attack on Planned Parenthood. In that time, there have also been at least five other reported attacks against Planned Parenthood clinics.3 The FBI has been warning about increased attacks on reproductive health care facilities since September.4

Congressional Republicans, whose false, incendiary rhetoric demonizes Planned Parenthood doctors and patients, have done nothing about these attacks while continuing to attack women’s health care. It’s time for the Department of Justice to step in.

Tell the Department of Justice: Investigate attacks on Planned Parenthood clinics for what they are — domestic terrorism.

There is a long history of violence against reproductive health care providers, especially those who perform abortions, by fanatics who want to intimidate women and close clinics, including at least 42 bombings, 182 arsons, 99 attempted bombings and arsons and 662 bomb threats between 1977 and 2014.5

This violence is a result of extreme right-wing rhetoric that shames and patronizes women, lies about health care providers and positions politicians as the arbiters of women’s decisions about their bodies and their lives.

The despicable attacks on Planned Parenthood are not just acts of hatred but of domestic terrorism, meant to injure, harass and intimidate women, their families and their health care providers — and the Department of Justice should treat them as such. That’s why we’re joining with our friends at NARAL, Courage Campaign and UltraViolet to demand an investigation now.

Click here to tell the Department of Justice: Investigate Planned Parenthood attacks as domestic terrorism.

Thanks for standing up for women.

References:

  1. “Gunman kills officer, two others at Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado,” Sandhya Somashekhar, Lindsey Bever and Jerry Markon, Washington Post, 11/27/2015.
  2. “Planned Parenthood Shooting Suspect Made Comment About ‘No More Baby Parts’: Sources,” Pete Williams and Andrew Blankstein, NBCNews.com, 11/28/2015.
  3. “Four Arsons in 74 Days at Planned Parenthood Clinics,” Bill Morlin, Southern Poverty Law Center, 10/2/2015.
  4. “FBI warns of threat to reproductive health care facilities,” CBSnews.com, 9/18/2015.
  5. National Abortion Federation Violence and Disruption Statistics