Threat to Pro-Life Americans Remains High, FBI Under Fire for Lack of Response After Dozens of Attacks

A new report reveals pro-life organizations, churches, and schools are still facing ongoing criminal threats against their facilities, staff, and volunteers. And law enforcement officials are being criticized for a weak response that has led to few arrests after dozens of attacks. 

The pro-abortion terror wave kicked off after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in June. That ruling overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide for nearly 50 years.

CBN News has documented numerous acts of violence and vandalism against these organizations and congregations over the summer.

Now the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) has released a threat advisory titled Religious Pro-Life Americans Under Attack: A Threat Assessment of Post-Dobbs America.

The RFI commissioned a former FBI counter-terrorism and intelligence expert to assess the threats and the likelihood of future attacks. The 16-page report concludes that the prospect of continued attacks is high.

Criminals have attacked at least 63 pro-life organizations in 26 states and the District of Columbia, since the Dobbs decision was leaked on May 2, according to the report. Radical pro-abortion activists have also attacked 32 Catholic churches since the Dobbs leak, and in 17 of those cases revealed a pro-abortion motive in their graffiti or in the vandalizing of religious pro-life memorials and symbols. 

"Groups such as Jane's Revenge, known for its signature, 'If abortions aren't safe, neither are you' graffiti at attack sites, Ruth Sent Us, and their imitators, as well as Satanists, have emerged as threats," the report said. 

Catholic churches, in particular, have become potential targets for vandals. 

"The surge in attacks after the Dobbs leak is also notable in light of the Catholic Church's consistent teachings through time on the inviolable dignity of unborn human life. Criminals attacked 136 Catholic sites from May 28, 2020, to the date of the Dobbs leak—an average of one site attacked every five days," the RFI's report noted. 

The report also warns the threat of crimes against pro-life organizations, churches, and schools will continue in the remaining months of this year "because significant numbers of hostile actors are aggrieved and calling for vengeance."

It also warned cyber attacks could be directed against organizations and even state governments. 

"Cyber attacks on pro-life entities, including states with laws protecting the unborn are also likely," the report advises. 

The RFI report also gives an 11-point list of how congregations and organizations can prepare to meet these threats. 

Bias from Authorities and the Media

Authorities and the media seem to be ignoring the continuing acts of violence against pro-life facilities, the report noted. 

"Too many law enforcement agencies and journalists are ignoring these crimes against pro-life institutions, a lack of concern consistent with their responses to attacks against Catholic churches over the past few years," said Nathaniel Hurd, director of RFI's North America Action Team. 

"All Americans, religious or not, pro-life nor not, should condemn these assaults on our nation's diversity and pluralism, and on the irresponsible indifference of federal and state governments," Hurd said. 

FBI Criticized for Weak Response to Attacks on Pro-Life Organizations

Meanwhile, the FBI has been criticized for its slow response to the ongoing attacks against pro-life organizations. 

Over a month after pro-abortion extremists vandalized and firebombed pro-life pregnancy centers following the leak of the Supreme Court's draft opinion in Dobbs, no arrests have been made as a result of the FBI's investigations, The National Review recently reported. 

Of the 45 documented incidents of violence against pregnancy clinics since June, no suspects have been taken into custody or even identified by name, the outlet noted. 

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As CBN News reported, CompassCare, a Christ-centered pro-life medical office and pregnancy center in Buffalo, New York was firebombed in early June.  The abortion terrorist group Jane's Revenge took credit for the attack, spray painting their signature "Jane Was Here" on the side of the structure.

According to The National Review, the FBI did not conduct a forensic analysis of CompassCare's extensive video surveillance footage until July 13th, five weeks after the attack, the center reported. Amherst Police waited until an August 1 press conference, the day of Compass Care Buffalo's re-opening ceremony, to release a statement on the investigation, saying "there have already been multiple leads examined and we are continuing to follow up with those at this time."

Jim Harden, CEO of CompassCare told the outlet that local law enforcement with the help of federal agencies had made little progress on their case. 

But the result was different when a Kalamazoo, Michigan Planned Parenthood facility was vandalized by a suspect lighting fires on the roof using a Duraflame log and citronella torch fuel. Authorities examining that case launched a multi-agency investigation and arrested a suspect only four days later, charging Joshua Brereton with arson. Brereton faces up to 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, according to a press release from the United State Attorney's Office. 

"{Law enforcement agencies} don't communicate well at all…When a Planned Parenthood center in New York in July claimed it was vandalized, law enforcement immediately apprehended the guy and arrested him. Compare that with what happened to us. We had an arson attack, which in a criminal code is just below murder, and nobody has been arrested," Harden said.

The FBI's lack of response has not gone unnoticed on Capitol Hill.  In late June, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray calling for a briefing on attacks by pro-abortion extremists. 

"There have been at least 40 violent attacks on crisis pregnancy centers, religious institutions, and other pro-life entities since the Dobbs leak and before the Court even issued its final opinion," Grassley wrote. "This violence continues to cause injury, damage to property, and interruption of constitutionally protected worship services all across the nation. In fact, it substantially accelerated last weekend, after the opinion was issued."

"Current threats from abortion extremists are impending, serious, and dangerous," he added.

CBN News reached out to the FBI for comment. In an emailed statement, the FBI said, "The FBI is investigating a series of attacks and threats targeting pregnancy resource centers, faith-based organizations, and reproductive health clinics across the country, as well as to judicial buildings, including the US Supreme Court." 

"The incidents are being investigated as potential acts of domestic violent extremism, FACE Act violations, or violent crime matters, depending on the facts of each case. The FBI takes all violence and threats of violence very seriously and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners at the national, state, and local levels to investigate these incidents," the statement continued. 

"We would like to remind members of the public that if they observe anything suspicious or have information about potential threats to report it to law enforcement immediately, call their local FBI field office, or submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov," the statement concluded