Paso Robles pregnancy center vandalized by abortion rights supporters, police say
Vandals affiliated with an abortion rights movement smashed windows and spray painted walls at a Paso Robles pregnancy support center this weekend, according to the Paso Robles Police Department.
The attack came after Jane’s Revenge, which targets anti-abortion institutions, sent a letter to Tree of Life Pregnancy Support Center warning of damage to their properties, police said.
“I know we made extra efforts to do patrols in the area, but that’s pretty much all we can do,” police Sgt. Michael Rickerd said.
That didn’t stop vandals from hitting Tree of Life in Paso Robles early Saturday morning, he said.
Vandals broke several windows and spray painted “JR” and anarchist symbols on the side of the windows and walls of the center, located in Highlands Shopping Center, Rickerd said.
Police had reviewed some surveillance video and were waiting on additional footage from neighboring businesses, he said.
“It’s definitely felony vandalism, and then added to that, it can be construed as a hate crime,” Rickerd said.
Police had not named any suspects as midday Sunday.
Tree of Life, which also has locations in Atascadero and San Luis Obispo, provides free services including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and peer counseling, according to its website. The pregnancy support center said it also offers information on abortions and post-abortion help.
“Tree of Life exists simply to assist women who ‘choose’ to keep their babies,” Tree of Life executive director Pam Johnson said in a Facebook post. “It’s unfathomable to me why anyone would want to keep us from helping people in our community.”
The vandalism comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Friday to overturn landmark abortion rights ruling Roe v. Wade.
“Crying tears of joy this morning! LIFE wins!” Johnson posted on Facebook in response to the decision.
A May 8 post on Janesrevenge.noblogs.org, described as “a news site collecting media related to #janesrevenge,” featured photos of vandalism on an anti-abortion center in Madison, Wisconsin, reading “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either,” and called for “the disbanding of all anti-choice establishments” within 30 days. That building was subsequently set ablaze by a Molotov cocktail, The New York Times reported.
A May 30 post titled “Night of Rage” detailed the group’s call to action in case the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, asking individuals to physically express their rage over their decision.
After the Paso Robles Tree of Life location was vandalized, Rickerd said community members sat and and watched the building to prevent any additional attacks.
This story was originally published June 26, 2022 at 12:43 PM.