Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising
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| Abbreviation | PAAU |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Consistent Life Ethic, Anti-Abortion Activism |
| Headquarters | Washington, DC |
Founder | Terrisa Bukovinac |
Executive Director | Caroline Taylor Smith |
| Lauren Handy and Kristin Turner | |
| Website | https://paaunow.org/ |
Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) is a American non-profit organization that seeks to promote a consistent life ethic, opposing abortion, capital punishment, and euthanasia. PAAU describes their mission as achieving "socio-political justice for the preborn by mobilizing anti-abortion activists for direct action and opposing elective abortion through a progressive lens." They describe themselves as secular, leftist, pro-LGBTQ, anti-capitalist, and pro-contraception.[1]
PAAU was founded by Terrisa Bukovinac, former President of Democrats for Life of America.
PAAU performs an anti-abortion activism tactic called "Rescue," which seeks to perform non-violent and direct action by entering and/or blocking abortion clinics. [2]
History
Discovery of 115 aborted fetuses
In March of 2022, anti-abortion activists from PAAU spotted a medical waste truck outside of Washington Surgi-Clinic, an abortion clinic in Foggy Bottom, DC. PAAU activists approached the truck and requested the box that was labeled as medical waste from Washington Surgi-Clinic. The driver, a worker for Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services, agreed to hand over the box after PAAU stated that the box contained "dead babies" and that PAAU would "provide a funeral for them."[3][4]
PAAU carried the box to Lauren Handy's house, and they recorded themselves opening the box, later posting it on their website and YouTube.[5] Inside of the box were 115 aborted fetuses, 5 of which appeared to be aborted in the third-trimester.[6] After receiving a tip over potential bio-hazard material, Metropolitan Police Department discovered and obtained the 5 late-term aborted fetuses on March 30, 2022.[7][8] The DC Medical Examiner's Office was the last entity to receive the five fetuses.
DC authorities told reporters that they believed the fetuses were aborted in accordance with DC law, which permits abortion in all nine months of pregnancy. DC authorities declined to perform an autopsy on the five fetuses,[9] despite claims that the fetuses were aborted via partial-birth abortion, a practice outlawed in the United States.[10]
No charges have been filed against PAAU or any of the activists in relation to the discovery and interception of the fetuses.
Federal arrests for violations of FACE Act
Lauren Handy, a senior-ranking employee for Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising,[11] along with nine other activists from PAAU, were charged with violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a legislative bill that prohibits physical obstruction or blockades of abortion facilities.[12]
All ten defendants were found guilty for violations of the FACE Act.
On August 29, 2023, a jury convicted Lauren Handy, John Hinshaw, Heather Idoni, William Goodman, and Herb Geraghty. On September 15, 2023, a separate jury convicted Jonathan Darnel, Jean Marshall, and Joan Andrews Bell. All eight of these defendants face up to 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 each.
The remaining two defendants include Paula Harlow and Jay Smith. Harlow, the oldest of the ten activists at the age of 75, was granted house arrest. Smith, the tenth and final individual to be convicted, plead guilty and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.[13]
Since the arrest, anti-abortion activists have been protesting to repeal the FACE Act and to release the five individuals from prison.
Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) and 25 other House Republicans of the United States House of Representatives have since introduced the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2023, a bill to repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.[14]
References
- ^ "Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising". Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ "Teach Democracy". www.crf-usa.org. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ Schnell, Mychael (2022-04-06). "Anti-abortion activists claim they had 115 fetuses". The Hill. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ Levenson, Michael (2022-04-05). "Anti-Abortion Activists Say They Were Allowed to Take 115 Fetuses". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ "Justice For The Five". Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ Snider, Mike. "Anti-abortion activists say they collected 115 fetuses in medical waste from abortion clinic". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ Rose, Mary Kay Mallonee,Rashard (2022-04-01). "Police say 5 fetuses found in a DC home where anti-abortion activist is believed to live". CNN. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "'People would freak out when they heard' | 5 fetuses discovered in house where anti-abortion activist was staying". wusa9.com. 12:50 PM EDT March 31, 2022. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Boorstein, Michelle; Hermann, Peter (2022-04-02). "D.C. Medical Examiner has no plans to autopsy fetuses removed from antiabortion activist's home, officials say". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ Gonzales v. Carhart. (n.d.). Oyez. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.oyez.org/cases/2006/05-380
- ^ "Our Team". Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ "Civil Rights Division | Protecting Patients and Health Care Providers". www.justice.gov. 2021-09-16. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ Visitor, Our Sunday (2023-11-19). "Last of 10 Defendants Found Guilty under FACE Act for DC Abortion Clinic Blockade". The Good Newsroom. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ "GovInfo". www.govinfo.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-22.