Abortion-related violence

Abortion debate
Part of the abortion series

Movements

Pro-choice

Pro-life

Issues of discussion

- Breast cancer
- CPCs
- Crime effect
- Ethics
- Fetal pain
- Fetal rights
- Genetics
- Late-term
- Libertarianism
- Mental health

- Minors
- Paternal rights
- Philosophy
- Public opinion
- Religion
- Self-induced
- Sex-selection
- Unsafe abortion
- Women's rights
- Violence

Abortion-related violence, or anti-abortion violence, is criminal violence committed against individuals and organizations that provide abortion. The abortion debate refers to discussion and controversy surrounding the moral and legal status of Abortion. An Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-choice advocates emphasize their beliefs that having a child is a personal choice that affects a woman's body and Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation The abortion-breast cancer (ABC hypothesis (supporters call it the abortion-breast cancer link posits that induced Abortion increases the risk of developing Breast cancer Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs also known as pregnancy resource centers are Non-profit organizations established by Pro-life supporters that work to persuade The legalized abortion and crime effect is the controversial Theory that legal Abortion reduces Crime. The ethical aspects of Abortion are much discussed in all major philosophies and Religions in the world particularly (but not exclusively in the Christian Fetal pain, its existence and its implications are part of a larger debate about Abortion. The term fetal rights can refer either to legal rights accorded to Fetuses or to ethical rights of fetuses The genetics and abortion issue is an extension of the Abortion debate and the Disability rights movement Late-term abortions are Abortions which are performed during a later stage of Pregnancy. Libertarians promote individual liberty and seek to minimize the role of the state The relationship between induced Abortion and Mental health is an area of controversy Many jurisdictions have laws applying to minors and abortion. The paternal rights and abortion issue is an extension of both the Abortion debate and the Fathers' rights movement The philosophical aspects of the abortion debate are presented in the form of a number of Logical arguments which can be made in support of or opposition to Abortion Societal attitudes towards abortion have varied throughout different historal periods and Cultures One manner of assessing such attitudes in the modern era has been Many religious traditions have taken a stance on Abortion, and these stances span a broad spectrum from acceptance to rejection A self-induced abortion is an Abortion performed outside the recognized medical system Sex-selective abortion is the targeted Abortion of a Fetus based upon its Sex. According to the World Health Organization (WHO an unsafe abortion is the termination of an unintended pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an An ^[1] Incidents of violence have ranged from the destruction of property, in the form of vandalism, arson, and bombings, to kidnapping, stalking, assault, attempted murder, and murder. Vandalism is the behaviour attributed to the Vandals in respect of Culture: ruthless Destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or Venerable A bomb is any of a range of devices that typically rely on the Exothermic Chemical reaction of an Explosive material to produce an extremely In Criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or Asportation of a person against the person's will usually to hold the person in False imprisonment ---- Stalking is the obsessive following observing or contacting of another person or the obsessive attempt to engage in any of these activities Assault is a Crime of Violence against another person. In some Jurisdictions including Australia and New Zealand, In English Criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit Unlawful homicide and at the same time having a specific intention Murder is the unlawful killing of another human person with Malice aforethought, as defined in Common Law countries A recent act was an arson at an abortion clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico on December 6, 2007. An abortion clinic is a medical facility that performs or specializes in Abortions Such Clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[2]

This type of violence has also been documented as occurring in Australia and Canada. Violence is the exertion of force so as to injure or abuse The word is used broadly to describe the destructive action of natural phenomena like Storms and Earthquakes For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page G. Davidson Smith of Canadian Security Intelligence Service defined anti-abortion violence as "single issue terrorism". The Canadian Security Intelligence Service ( CSIS) (Service canadien du renseignement de sécurité ( SCRS) is the primary Intelligence agency of the Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion ^[3]

Definition and characteristics

Anti-abortion violence is aggression specifically visited upon people who or places which provide abortion. An Such incidents range from the vandalism, arson, and bombings of abortion clinics, as committed by Eric Rudolph, to the murders or attempted murders of physicians and clinic staff, as committed by James Kopp and Peter James Knight. Vandalism is the behaviour attributed to the Vandals in respect of Culture: ruthless Destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or Venerable A bomb is any of a range of devices that typically rely on the Exothermic Chemical reaction of an Explosive material to produce an extremely An abortion clinic is a medical facility that performs or specializes in Abortions Such Clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices Eric Robert Rudolph (born September 19, 1966) also known as the Olympic Park Bomber, is an American radical described by the FBI as a Terrorist Murder is the unlawful killing of another human person with Malice aforethought, as defined in Common Law countries In English Criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit Unlawful homicide and at the same time having a specific intention James Charles Kopp (born in Pasadena California on August 2, 1954) is an American citizen who was convicted in 2003 for the 1998 Sniper Peter James Knight (b January 1, 1954) is a Pro-life activist who shot dead a security guard in an Australian Abortion clinic

A small fraction of those opposed to abortion have sometimes resorted to very public demonstrations of violence in an effort to achieve their objective of curbing the termination of pregnancy. Those who engage in or support such actions defend the use of force — as justifiable homicide or defense of others — in interest of protecting the life of the fetus. The term use of force refers to the right of an individual or authority to settle Conflicts or prevent certain actions by applying measures to either a dissuade another party The United States' concept of justifiable homicide in Criminal law stands on the dividing line between an Excuse, justification and an Exculpation The right of self-defense (also called alter ego defense, defense of others, defense of a third person) is the right for civilians acting on their A fetus (or foetus or fœtus) is a developing Mammal or other Viviparous Vertebrate, after the Embryonic stage and ^[4]

Incidence

Incidents in the United States

Murders

In the U. S. , violence directed toward abortion providers has killed 7 people, including 3 doctors, 2 clinic employees, a security guard, and a clinic escort. A clinic escort is a person who Volunteers at an Abortion clinic to help guide women into and out of the building ^[5]

March 10, 1993: Dr. David Gunn of Pensacola, Florida was fatally shot during a protest. David Gunn (died March 10 1993) was a Physician, who was murdered at age 47 in Pensacola Florida by Michael F Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the County seat of Escambia County. He had been the subject of wanted-style posters distributed by Operation Rescue in the summer of the year before. A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a Poster put up to let the public know of a Criminal whom authorities wish to apprehend For the national organization formerly known as Operation Rescue see Operation Rescue/Operation Save America. Michael F. Griffin was found guilty of Dr. Michael Frederick Griffin (born September 11, 1961) murdered Dr Gunn's murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
June 29, 1994: Dr. John Britton and James Barrett, a clinic escort, were both shot to death outside of another facility in Pensacola. Rev. Paul Jennings Hill was charged with the killings, received a death sentence, and was executed September 3, 2003. Paul Jennings Hill ( February 6, 1954 &ndash September 3, 2003) was the first person in the United States to be executed for killing an Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment.
December 30, 1994: Two receptionists, Shannon Lowney and Lee Ann Nichols, were killed in two clinic attacks in Brookline, Massachusetts. A receptionist is a person in an Office /administrative support position Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. John Salvi, who prior to his arrest was distributing pamphlets from Human Life International,^[6] was arrested and confessed to the killings. John C Salvi III ( March 2, 1972 – November 29, 1996) was an Anti-abortion activist and a convicted Murderer. Human Life International is an American based Roman Catholic activist Pro-life organization He committed suicide in prison and guards found his body under his bed with a plastic garbage bag tied around his head. Salvi had also confessed to a non-lethal attack in Norfolk, Virginia days before the Brookline killings. Norfolk is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States
January 29, 1998: Robert Sanderson, an off-duty police officer who worked as a security guard at an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, was killed when his workplace was bombed. A police officer (also known as a policeman or policewoman) is a warranted employee of a Police force. A security guard or security officer is usually a privately and formally employed person who is paid to protect Property, assets or people Birmingham (ˈbɝmɪŋhæm is the largest City in the US state of Alabama and is the County seat of Jefferson County. Eric Robert Rudolph, who was also responsible for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing, was charged with the crime and received two life sentences as a result. Eric Robert Rudolph (born September 19, 1966) also known as the Olympic Park Bomber, is an American radical described by the FBI as a Terrorist The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was a terrorist Bombing on July 27, 1996 in Atlanta Georgia during the 1996 Summer Life imprisonment or life incarceration is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime often for most
October 23, 1998: Dr. Barnett Slepian was shot to death at his home in Amherst, New York. Barnett Slepian ( October 21, 1946 – October 23, 1998) was an Obstetrician / Gynecologist and abortion provider in Amherst is a Town in Erie County, New York, US, directly northeast of the City of Buffalo. His was the last in a series of similar shootings against providers in Canada and northern New York state which were all likely committed by James Kopp. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page James Charles Kopp (born in Pasadena California on August 2, 1954) is an American citizen who was convicted in 2003 for the 1998 Sniper Kopp was convicted of Dr. Slepian's murder after finally being apprehended in France in 2001. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

A fourth doctor, George Patterson, was shot and killed in Mobile, Alabama on August 21, 1993, but it is uncertain whether his death was the direct result of his profession or rather a robbery. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Robbery is the Crime of seizing Property through Violence or Intimidation. ^[7]

Attempted murder, assault, and threats

According to statistics gathered by the National Abortion Federation (NAF), an organization of abortion providers, since 1977 in the United States and Canada, there have been 17 attempted murders, 383 death threats, 153 incidents of assault or battery, and 3 kidnappings committed against abortion providers. The National Abortion Federation (NAF is an organization of Abortion providers The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In English Criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit Unlawful homicide and at the same time having a specific intention A death threat is a threat, often made anonymously, against a person to kill him or her Assault is a Crime of Violence against another person. In some Jurisdictions including Australia and New Zealand, Battery is a term used by the Common law jurisdictions which involves an Injury or other Contact upon the Person of another in a manner likely In Criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or Asportation of a person against the person's will usually to hold the person in False imprisonment ^[8] The attempted murders were:^[9]^[10]^[5]

August 19, 1993: Dr. George Tiller was shot outside of an abortion facility in Wichita, Kansas. George Tiller (born 1941 is a Physician in Wichita Kansas in the United States. Wichita (ˈwɪtʃɪtaː is the most populous City in the US state of Kansas, and the county seat of Sedgwick County. Shelley Shannon was charged with the crime and received an 11-year prison sentence. Rachelle Ranae "Shelley" Shannon (born 1956) is an anti- Abortion Activist, Saboteur, Rhetorician and sharpshooter
June 29, 1994: June Barret was shot in the same attack which claimed the lives of James Barrett, her husband, and Dr. John Britton.
December 30, 1994: Five individuals were wounded in the same-day shootings which killed Shannon Lowney and Lee Ann Nichols.
December 18, 1996: Dr. Calvin Jackson of New Orleans, Louisiana was stabbed 15 times, losing 4 pints of blood. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana Donald Cooper was charged with second-degree attempted murder and sentenced to 20 years. ^[11]
October 28, 1997: A physician whose name has not been revealed was shot in his home in Rochester, New York. Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York State, south of Lake Ontario in the United States.
January 29, 1998: Emily Lyons, a nurse, was severely injured in the bombing which also killed Robert Sanderson. A nurse is responsible—along with other Health care Professionals —for the treatment safety and recovery of acutely or chronically
September 11, 2006 David McMenemy attempted a suicide bombing of a women's clinic in Davenport, Iowa after scouting targets throughout the Midwest. It was later revealed that the targeted clinic did not perform or make referrals for abortions.

Anthrax threats

The first letters claiming to contain anthrax were mailed to U. Anthrax is an acute Disease in humans and animals caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis which is highly lethal in some forms S. clinics in October 1998, a few days after the Slepian shooting, and since then, there have been a total of 655 such bioterror threats made against abortion providers. For the use of biological agents in warfare see Biological warfare. None of the "anthrax" in these cases was real. ^[12]^[9]

November 2001: After the genuine 2001 anthrax attacks, Clayton Waagner mailed hoax letters containing a white powder to 554 clinics. The 2001 Anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI case name occurred over Clayton Lee Waagner (born Roger Waagner August 25 1956 in North Dakota) is a convicted Bank robber, Domestic terrorist and Anti-abortion The following Hoaxes have been perpetrated using Anthrax as an implied threat Waagner was convicted of 51 charges relating to the anthrax scare on December 3, 2003.

Arson, bombing, and property crime

According to NAF, since 1977 in the United States and Canada, property crimes committed against abortion providers have included 41 bombings, 173 arsons, 91 attempted bombings or arsons, 619 bomb threats, 1630 incidents of trespassing, 1264 incidents of vandalism, and 100 attacks with butyric acid ("stink bombs"). Property crime is a category of Crime that includes among other crimes Burglary, Larceny, Theft, Motor vehicle theft, Arson A bomb is any of a range of devices that typically rely on the Exothermic Chemical reaction of an Explosive material to produce an extremely Trespass (Fr trespas a crime properly a stepping across from Lat Vandalism is the behaviour attributed to the Vandals in respect of Culture: ruthless Destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or Venerable Butyric acid (from Greek βούτυρος = butter) also known under the systematic name butanoic acid, is a Carboxylic acid with the structural A stink bomb or stinkbomb is a device designed to create an unpleasant smell. ^[8] The first clinic arson occurred in Oregon in March 1976 and the first bombing occurred in February 1978 in Ohio. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads ^[13] More recent incidents have included:^[5]

October 1999: Martin Uphoff set fire to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, causing US$100 worth of damage. Planned Parenthood is the collective name of organizations worldwide who are members of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF Sioux Falls (ˌsuː ˈfɔːlz is the largest city in the US state of South Dakota. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been He was later sentenced to 60 months in prison.
May 28, 2000: An arson at a clinic in Concord, New Hampshire on resulted in damage estimated at US$20,000. The city of Concord (ˈkɒnkərd often mispronounced as " Concorde " is the Capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States
October 1, 2000: A Catholic priest drove his car into the Northern Illinois Health Clinic after learning that the FDA had approved the drug RU-486. Mifepristone is a synthetic Steroid compound used as a pharmaceutical. He pulled out an ax before being shot at by a security guard.
June 11, 2001: A bombing at a clinic in Tacoma, Washington on destroyed a wall, resulting in US$6000 in damages
July 4, 2005: A clinic Palm Beach, Florida was the target of an arson. Palm Beach is an upscale Incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States.
December 12, 2005: Patricia Hughes and Jeremy Dunahoe threw a Molotov cocktail at a clinic in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Molotov cocktail, also known as the booze bomb, alcohol bomb or Molotov bomb, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary Shreveport is the third-largest city and the principal city of the third largest Metropolitan area in the U The device missed the building and no damage was caused. In August 2006, Hughes was sentenced to six years in prison, and Dunahoe to one year.
September 13, 2006 David McMenemy of Rochester Hills, Michigan crashed his car into the Edgerton Women's Care Center in Davenport, Iowa. Rochester Hills is a city in Oakland County of the US state of Michigan. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Davenport is a City along the Mississippi River in the American state of Iowa. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. He then doused the lobby in gasoline and then started a fire. McMenemy committed these acts in the belief that the center was performing abortions, however Edgerton is not an abortion clinc. ^[14]
April 25, 2007: A package left at a women's health clinic in Austin, Texas contained an explosive device capable of inflicting serious injury or death. A bomb squad detonated the device. ^[15]
May 9, 2007: An unidentified person deliberately set fire to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Planned Parenthood is the collective name of organizations worldwide who are members of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF Virginia Beach (pronounced /vɚˌdʒɪnjəˈbiːtʃ/ is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area and one of the largest cities in ^[16]
December 6, 2007: Two unidentified persons set fire to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ^[17]

Incidents in Canada

Attempted murder

Violence has also occurred in Canada, where three doctors have been attacked to date. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page There is speculation that the timing of the shootings is related to the Canadian observance of Remembrance Day. Remembrance Day also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day (the event it commemorates or Veterans Day is a day to commemorate the The physicians were part of pattern of attacks, which targeted providers in Canada and upstate New York, including Dr. Upstate New York is the region of New York State north of the core of the New York metropolitan area. Barnett Slepian. Barnett Slepian ( October 21, 1946 – October 23, 1998) was an Obstetrician / Gynecologist and abortion provider in All victims were shot in their homes with a rifle, at dusk, in late October or early November. James Kopp was charged with the murder of Dr. James Charles Kopp (born in Pasadena California on August 2, 1954) is an American citizen who was convicted in 2003 for the 1998 Sniper Murder is the unlawful killing of another human person with Malice aforethought, as defined in Common Law countries Slepian and the attempted murder of Dr. In English Criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit Unlawful homicide and at the same time having a specific intention Short; he is suspected of having committed the other shootings as well. ^[9]^[10]

November 8, 1994: Dr. Garson Romalis of Vancouver, British Columbia was shot. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal
November 10, 1995: Dr. Hugh Short of Ancaster, Ontario was shot. Ancaster is a suburban community in the southwest of Hamilton Ontario, Canada with which it amalgamated in 2001
November 11, 1997: Dr. Jack Fainman of Winnipeg, Manitoba was shot. Winnipeg (ˈwɪnɨpɛg is the capital and largest city in the Canadian province of Manitoba, and 7th largest municipality in Canada with a population
July 11, 2000: Dr. Romalis was stabbed by an unindentified assailant in the lobby of his clinic. A stabbing is the penetration of a sharp or pointed object at close range ^[18]

Bombing and property damage

February 25, 1990: Two men broke into a clinic in Vancouver and destroyed $C30,000 worth of medical equipment with crowbars. A crowbar, pry bar, or prybar, more informally a jimmy, jimmy bar, jemmy ( British Isles) or gooseneck is ^[19]
May 18, 1992: A Toronto, Ontario clinic operated by Henry Morgentaler was firebombed, causing the entire front wall of the building to collapse. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Henry Morgentaler CM (born March 19, 1923, in Łódź, Poland) is a Canadian Physician and ^[20]

Incident in Australia

July 16, 2001: Steven Rogers, a security guard at a clinic in Melbourne, Australia was shot in the face and killed by Peter James Knight. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Peter James Knight (b January 1, 1954) is a Pro-life activist who shot dead a security guard in an Australian Abortion clinic Knight was charged and was sentenced to life in prison on November 19, 2002. ^[21]

Support of anti-abortion violence

Some organisations in the United States which oppose abortion either explicitly or implicitly advocate violence against abortion providers in contrast with the majority of the pro-life movement. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation Two such organizations are The Army of God, an underground network of activists who believe that the use of violence is an appropriate tool for fighting against abortion, and the American Coalition of Life Activists, who published the Nuremberg Files. The American Coalition of Life Activists (ACLA was a Pro-life activist group that was the subject of controversy for its series of Wanted-style posters Otis O'Neal Horsley Jr (born 1944 is an American political figure of the Far right.

The Nuremberg Files was a controversial anti-abortion web site which published the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, and other personal information of abortion providers – highlighting the names of those who had been wounded and striking out those of which had been killed. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A name ( Etymology: from OE nama akin to OHG namo, Latin Nomen, and Greek όνομα ( A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of numbers used to call from one Telephone line to another in a Telephone network. The site was accused of being a thinly-veiled hit list intended to incite violence; others claimed that it was protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. YTV's Hit List was a music video television program that aired on YTV, a specialty Television network aimed at children. In English Criminal law, incitement is an anticipatory Common law offence and is the act of persuading encouraging instigating pressuring or threatening The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress ^[22] A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision finally shut the site down in 2002 after a prolonged debate. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a federal court with Appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

In August 1982, three men identifying as the Army of God kidnapped for eight days Hector Zevallos (a doctor and clinic owner) and his wife, Josalee Jean. ^[23] In 1993, law enforcement officials found the Army of God Manual, a tactical guide to arson, chemical attacks, invasions, and bombings. ^[23] The Army of God justified the actions of Paul Jennings Hill on the grounds that "whatever force is legitimate to defend the life of a born child is legitimate to defend the life of an unborn child. Paul Jennings Hill ( February 6, 1954 &ndash September 3, 2003) was the first person in the United States to be executed for killing an . . if in fact Paul Hill did kill or wound abortionist John Britton, and accomplices James Barrett and Mrs. Barrett, his actions are morally justified if they were necessary for the purpose of defending innocent human life". ^[9]

Pro-life reactions to anti-abortion violence

Nearly all mainstream pro-life organizations reject violence as a form of opposition to abortion. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation ^[9] Advocates of force tend to be small groups or lone individuals. ^[9] Pro-life activism generally consists of activism such as picketing, vigils, and "sidewalk counseling" outside abortion clinics. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation Activism, in a general sense can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change Pettie The Vigiljpg|right|thumb|200px|"A Knight's Vigil" by John Pettie]] A vigil (from the Latin vigilia, meaning wakefulness) is "Sidewalk counseling" is a form of Pro-life activism which is conducted outside of Abortion clinics Activists seek to communicate with those entering Some of these activities become so disruptive that some governments have responded with laws that protect access to abortion, particularly the creation of buffer zones where protesters are not permitted to approach those entering or exiting facilities providing abortion. Governments sometimes take measures designed to afford legal protection of access to abortion.

In response to incidents of anti-abortion violence, many groups in the pro-life movement have sought to isolate themselves from violent factions in a number of ways. Many pro-life advocates have vocally condemned violent actions against abortion providers as running contrary to the values and goals of the right-to-life cause. ^[24]

Following the 1998 bombing of a clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, Feminists for Life offered a reward for the arrest and conviction of those responsible. http//wwwplannedparenthoodorg/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/abortion-access/antichoice-organizations-6127 ^[25] In 2001, Priests for Life, a group of pro-life Catholics in the United States, put in place a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of fugitives wanted in connection with violence against abortion providers. Priests for Life (PFL is a Roman Catholic Pro-life organization based in New York. ^[26] The American Life League issued a "Pro-life Proclamation Against Violence" in 2006. One of the largest Pro-life organizations in the United States, according to their website American Life League, or ALL, opposes all forms of Abortion ^[27] Other pro-life groups to take a stand against violence include Center for Bio-Ethical Reform and Pro-Lifers Against Clinic Violence. The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR is an American Pro-life organization promulgating views of the Right to life for the Unborn, Disabled However, a few anti-abortion leaders have qualified their condemnation of anti-abortion violence by suggesting that the harm created by pro-life crime is small in comparison to the harm they associate with abortion providers. Scholarship contextualizes this support for violence as a political weapon against women's rights, one that is associated with tolerance for violence toward women. ^[28]

Although the Roman Catholic Church has not officially released a statement corresponsing explicitly to abortion-related violence, section 2265, chapter 5 of the official Catechism of the Catholic Church is as follows: "Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others. The defense of the common good requires that an unjust aggressor be rendered unable to cause harm. For this reason, those who legitimately hold authority also have the right to use arms to repel aggressors against the civil" . ^[29] Although open to interpretation, this is not a condemnation of vigilantes committing violence in good faith. However, the Church withdrew funding for two Canadian groups that had resorted to harassment of abortion providers. ^[9]

Pro-choice reactions to anti-abortion violence

Pro-choice organizations have responded to anti-abortion violence by lobbying to protect access to abortion clinics. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-choice advocates emphasize their beliefs that having a child is a personal choice that affects a woman's body and The National Abortion Federation and the Feminist Majority Foundation collect statistics on incidents of anti-abortion violence. The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF is a Feminist Non-profit organization in the United State dedicated to "women's equality reproductive health The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act was passed in 1994 to protect reproductive health service facilities and their staff and patients from violent threats, assault, vandalism, and blockade. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act ( FACE or the Access Act, Pub ^[30] State, provincial, and local governments have also passed similar laws designed to afford legal protection of access to abortion in the United States and Canada. Governments sometimes take measures designed to afford legal protection of access to abortion.

One form that this legislation can take is in the creation of a "buffer zone" around an abortion clinic or around the home of someone who works there; pro-life demonstration is limited to a specific distance from the building or prohibited altogether. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation In the U. S. , three states — Colorado, Massachusetts, and Montana have passed "buffer zone" laws — and, in Canada, the province of British Columbia has enacted The Access to Abortion Services Act. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C The Access to Abortion Services Act is a Law in the Canadian province of British Columbia.