In late August, seven pro-life activists were convicted in Detroit under the Clinton-era Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The government is being weaponized to go after American citizens who stand up for the unborn. The DOJ’s relentless pursuit of these peaceful demonstrators is emblematic of the regime’s unrelenting hostility towards pro-life Americans.
These activists, including preacher Calvin Zastrow and former police officer Chester Gallagher, were found guilty of obstructing access to an abortion clinic—a supposed crime that carries the absurd potential of 11 years in federal prison and hefty fines. Their “crime” was nothing more than sitting and standing in front of an abortion facility, hoping to save innocent lives. Beth Brelje reported in the Federalist that these activists cited Proverbs 24:11, which commands us to “Rescue those who are being taken away to death.”
The FACE Act, enacted in 1994, was originally intended to prevent people from violently protesting at abortion clinics. It is an ironic prohibition, considering what goes on inside said clinics. But in recent years FACE has been weaponized against peaceful pro-lifers, particularly after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. The Biden-Harris DOJ has targeted these citizens with charges of “civil rights conspiracy,” a gross mischaracterization of their intentions. As Thomas More Society Senior Counsel Steve Crampton pointed out, the FACE Act’s application here is not only unconstitutional but also a blatant attempt to suppress pro-life activism.
This crackdown is not about justice but about silencing opposition to the legal mass murder we call abortion. Despite claims by the FBI Director that the focus has been on protecting pro-life facilities, the DOJ’s actions tell a different story—one of a government determined to punish those who dare to defend the unborn. The persecution of these activists is a stark reminder of the lengths to which this administration will go to promote its radical pro-abortion agenda.
