Houston, TX — A man who claims to be against abortion and has previously been convicted for abortion-related violence drove his van into the entrance of a Planned Parenthood abortion facility earlier this month. There were no injures.
Frank Lafayette Bird Jr., 61, of Houston, remains in custody after police say he admitted smashing his van into the abortion facility entrance to “stop the killing.” Damage to the entrance of the building was limited to broken glass.
Proving that violence does nothing to stop abortion, the cleanup and repair of the entrance was completed by the end of the day and those seeking abortions were taken to a back entrance during repairs.
Pro-life organizations said they opposed any acts of violence, including this one.
“Texas Right to Life and all 50 state affiliates of National Right to Life vehemently oppose all transgressions of the law, including incidents such as the one at Planned Parenthood of Houston earlier today,” explained Elizabeth Graham, associate director of Texas Right to Life. “An incident such as this only harms the legitimate, peaceful prolife movement.”
David Bereit, director of a local pro-life group, the Coalition for Life, agreed.
“Violence is never the solution to the violence of abortion. It is regrettable that a person who claims to oppose abortion resorted to this destructive tactic.”
Peter Durkin, the president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas, said Bird is familiar to those at the clinic because of his frequent protesting. “He has been arrested at this location before, and he has been involved at other clinics in the Houston area,” Durkin said.
Harris County Precinct 7 Deputy Constable Willie Winfree said Bird told him he made sure no one was standing in the immediate area before he plowed into the doors shortly after 9 a.m. The white commercial van hit the glass-and-metal frame entrance and pushed about three feet into the building.
The man was peacefully arrested after the van came to rest. The van was towed off immediately and work crews were on the scene within an hour repairing the entrance.
(This article courtesy of Steven Ertelt and the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)
See also:
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS CHIEF EXECUTIVE PRAISES SENATE VOTE BANNING PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION; CALLS IT “FIRST STEP” IN BUILDING A CULTURE OF LIFE
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030313/dcth034_1.html
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT: PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION IS AN ABHORRENT PROCEDURE THAT OFFENDS HUMAN DIGNITY, AND I COMMEND THE SENATE FOR PASSING LEGISLATION TO BAN IT
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030313-3.html
PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION BAN PASSES IN SENATE; LAW WILL END A GRUESOME PROCEDURE THAT IS HARMFUL TO WOMEN, SAYS RIOS
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/qtr1_2003/0313-117.html
