The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under President Biden’s watch, considered pro-life mothers potential “radicalization suspects”, leaks show.
Documents recovered by the America First Legal Foundation appear to show that the Office of Terrorism and Violence Prevention at the DHS outlined training videos targeted at potential extremists, including pro-life mothers.
Just days into President Biden’s presidency, the DHS created scenarios in which a pro-life mother was one of several “radicalization suspects”.
Ann, described as a “pro-life advocate” and “increasingly devout” religious believer, was the focus of one such script. The training video would have required viewers to take bystander roles, responding to Ann’s pro-life extremism.
Scenes included Ann screaming “Baby killer” as well as saying, “Something should be done to put a stop to the Planned Parenthood office in the next county.”
In one scene, the audience was to fulfil the role of preacher and decide whether Ann’s pro-life utterances merit requite counselling or speaking to her husband.
Hundreds of attacks directed at pro-lifers since May 2022
A study released last year estimated that there were 22x more attacks on pro-lifers in the US than there were on pro-abortion individuals and groups between 3 May and 24 September 2022.
Following the leak last May showing that the US Supreme Court intended to overturn Roe v. Wade, pro-life organisations and pregnancy centres were subjected to a wave of violence, including arson attacks.
Churches were also targeted by such groups as Jane’s Revenge, which also threatened to “shoot up” pro-life students attending a Catholic venue in Nebraska. The same pro-abortion militant group said it would “find joy” in attacking pro-lifers.
Last year, a pro-abortion militant was also charged with the attempted murder of pro-life Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
An “astonishing mischaracterisation” of pro-lifers
SPUC’s Michael Robinson, Executive Director (Public Affairs and Legal Services), said: “The astonishing mischaracterisation of pro-lifers in the US and the UK as potential extremist threats is a gross twisting of reality.
“Far from protecting pro-lifers from increasingly hostile pro-abortion militants, governments are targeting pro-lifers, whether it be through the DHS or through censorious buffer zones in the UK that even outlaw silent prayer.
“This case shows how many governmental groups view, or want citizens to view, the pro-life position as innately extreme and violent, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
“As the pro-life movement gains momentum, however, we can expect further libels as we speak truth to power in the defence of unborn babies. Pro-lifers will continue to embody the peaceful and loving values that underpin the right to life.”