HotSpots for January 1 - February 28, 2006

HotSpots is a summary of incidents of harassment and violence directed at Planned Parenthood affiliates, national offices, and other reproductive health care providers, produced monthly by The Security Group, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.
 
Texas 02/28/06 Vandals shot out the windows of a patient's car while it was parked in the parking lot of a Planned Parenthood health center.

Washington, DC 02/28/06 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in an 8-0 decision, that federal extortion and racketeering laws cannot be used against anti-choice extremists for blockading clinics, conspiracy or other crimes.

Washington 02/24/06 A persistent protester at a Planned Parenthood health center, was convicted last week of reckless endangerment for his behavior outside of Planned Parenthood. Today he was sentenced and must pay $650 in fines, be on probation for 24 months, surrender the spotlight he was using to harass people, and never use anything "brighter than a common flashlight" near the center.

Arizona 02/23/06 A Planned Parenthood health center had been troubled by a protester saying the rosary who kept coming on their property but always managed to slip away before the police arrived. Today the police were able to get there before he left, warned him to keep off the private property and escorted him to his vehicle without incident.

Texas 02/23/06 The anti-choice extremist who rammed his truck through the front doors of a Planned Parenthood health center, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined nearly $8,000 in restitution. He plans to appeal, claiming the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) is unconstitutional.

Tennessee 02/07/06 A Planned Parenthood affiliate reported receiving six pieces of anti-choice mail. None of the cards and letters have been explicitly threatening; all say "stop baby killing," and contain religious messages.

Michigan 02/04/06 A member of Life and Liberty Ministries was arrested by Detroit police for failure to obtain a permit to drive his "Truth Truck" in the vicinity of the Super Bowl. The truck was impounded. Both were later released.

New York 02/02/06 A Planned Parenthood affiliate reported that a previously infrequent protester returned twice during one week, playing religious music on a trumpet and shouting to patients as they entered the building. Law enforcement has been alerted to the escalation in activity and will be called if the protester reappears.

Colorado 02/02/06 Staff at a Planned Parenthood health center traced an extremely unpleasant, vomit-like odor to a tissue soaked in a clear liquid that had been left in a flower pot in the waiting room. It is suspected that the liquid was butyric acid. This fluid, which has a strong and unpleasant odor, has been used in the past by anti-abortion extremists as a weapon against reproductive health care providers.

New Mexico 01/30/06 A mural painted on the fence behind a Planned Parenthood property was vandalized with paint. Security cameras did not record the event due to a malfunction. The original mural artist has volunteered to repaint the mural at no charge.

Michigan 01/28/06 A Planned Parenthood administrative staff person received a Genocide Project brochure at her home address. There was no return address, but the letter was postmarked from Minneapolis.

Ohio 01/27/06 A Planned Parenthood administrative staff person received a harassing letter at her home, purporting to be from nine women who had abortions in the past and now regretted their decisions.

Tennessee 01/27/06 A Planned Parenthood administrative staff person received a harassing, anti-choice e-mail in response to a pro-choice editorial he had published.

Minnesota 01/26/06 Two Planned Parenthood health centers received harassing telephone calls.

Tennessee 01/24/06 A Planned Parenthood administrative office received hate mail speculating that the CEO must not be married or he wouldn't consider "murdering babies."

Indiana 01/23/06 Vandals wrote "We kill babies" on the back door of an office adjacent to a Planned Parenthood health center. Presumably, they had intended to write this on the health center door. Law enforcement was notified.

New Hampshire 01/18/06 The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, ruling 9-0 to remand the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The case challenged the constitutionality of a New Hampshire law that required parental notification 48 hours prior to a minor's abortion but failed to make an exception for medical emergencies when the minor's health was in danger. An injunction prohibiting enforcement of the law remains in effect.

Pennsylvania 01/17/06 In the ongoing paint ball saga at a Planned Parenthood health center, vandals threw a small paint ball at the front stoop. Most of the paint hit the sidewalk, rather than the building this time.

Virginia 01/17/06 A Planned Parenthood health center received multiple hang-up calls. Star-69 confirmed they were all coming from the same phone number. The director of administration for the affiliate answered the next call, stating that she had their phone number and was reporting them to the police. She notified her local law enforcement contact by e-mail and there have been no further calls.

New Mexico 01/14/06 A relatively new health center had 10 protesters, some shouting "You won't be here long," others calling out the name and home address of the affiliate CEO. There were no incidents or arrests.

Indiana 01/12/06 An administrative staff member received a threatening voice mail. It was a female voice, whispering, "You are going to die in seven days, ha-ha!"

Maryland 01/04/06 Staff at a Planned Parenthood health center found both the front and back doors vandalized with super glue. This is a repeat of vandalism reported 12/29/05.

California 01/04/06 An anti-abortion letter was put through the mail slot of a Planned Parenthood health center. The letter was not overtly threatening but was filled with religious ramblings.

Michigan 01/01/06 Any hopes we may have had that the New Year would bring an end to the practical jokes inspired by the film Mean Girls, were dashed when a Michigan affiliate reported a voice mail left January 1 from a woman in Flint who received a call claiming to be from Planned Parenthood. The caller told her "her test results are in." The woman who had received the call is not a client.

Published: 02.28.06 | Updated: 02.28.06



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