Tag: Roe v. Wade

LRPD, Ambulance Respond to Altercation Outside Little Rock Abortion Facility

At 9:00 AM on Friday, June 10, police and first responders were called as the result of an altercation outside Little Rock Family Planning Services — Arkansas’ only surgical abortion facility.

According to the incident report from the Little Rock Police Department, a clinic escort — one of the volunteers for the abortion facility — made physical contact with an 83-year-old pro-life woman on the public sidewalk.

In response, the pro-lifer struck the clinic escort with an umbrella.

The clinic escort responded by striking the pro-lifer with an umbrella.

The incident report goes on to say that after that, “both subjects [started] swinging their umbrellas at each other.”

The pro-life volunteer suffered a cut on her hand apparently as a result of the altercation. The police report indicates no arrests were made.

Below is surveillance video footage of the fight. In the video, the abortion escort appears to block the pro-life volunteer’s path on the sidewalk before bumping the pro-lifer as she passed.

The surveillance video later shows police and ambulance services arrive at the facility. Documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act indicate that the ambulance did not transport anyone from the location.

Unfortunately, the altercation is the latest in a growing number of incidents that have occurred outside the surgical abortion facility.

As we have written before, one of the owners of the abortion facility currently faces criminal charges for allegedly trying to strike pro-lifers with her vehicle while they prayed on the public easement outside the facility.

Little Rock police have documented multiple close calls that pro-lifers have had with vehicles at the location.

This spring, pro-abortion volunteers have used increasingly aggressive methods to prevent pro-lifers from communicating with women about options besides abortion.

And in May, LRPD placed a mobile surveillance tower in view of the abortion facility and the pro-life pregnancy resource center next door.

LRPD personnel told Family Council the department placed the tower there to deter criminal behavior in light of “national events involving abortion and in particular this topic being propelled to the spotlight regarding the leaked document from the United State Supreme Court.”

Every day that Little Rock Family Planning Services performs abortions, pro-lifers gather for peaceful prayer and to talk with women about pro-life alternatives to abortion. Multiple unborn children have been saved from abortion because of their ministry.

Some pro-life groups estimate the “no-show” rate for abortion appointments can go to as high as 75% when people pray in front of an abortion facility.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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LRPD Stations Mobile Surveillance Tower Near Little Rock Abortion Facility, Pregnancy Center

Recently, Family Council learned that the Little Rock Police Department stationed one of its mobile surveillance towers at a location near Little Rock Family Planning Services and Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center in west Little Rock.

Little Rock Family Planning Services is Arkansas’ only surgical abortion facility.

Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center, located next door, is a pro-life center that helps women with unplanned pregnancies choose options besides abortion.

The LRPD uses mobile surveillance towers to increase the visibility of police presence and deter crime in the community.

In a statement provided to Family Council, Lt. John Michael Trent of the Little Rock Police Department said,

With national events involving abortion and in particular this topic being propelled to the spotlight regarding the leaked document from the United State Supreme Court it was my opinion this tower was placed in this area with hopes to deter any criminal behavior or problems from anyone. We have used this tower in the past for other events, businesses and places and overall it does seem to be a strong deterrent regarding criminal behavior.

Lt. Trent also said the goal “is to be as proactive as possible,” and indicated that the tower’s location would be reevaluated after 30 days.

In the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, pro-life organizations have been targeted by vandals and arsonists, and pro-abortion activists have promised a “summer of rage” is Roe is reversed.

Additionally, Little Rock Police have documented multiple incidents outside the surgical abortion facility in recent years.

We deeply appreciate the Little Rock Police Department taking steps to be proactive in protecting Arkansans and keeping our community safe. We hope and pray that our country remains peaceful if and when the U.S. Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Abortion In Arkansas Remains Near Forty-Five Year Low

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 2, 2022

Little Rock, Ark.—On Wednesday the Arkansas Department of Health released its annual abortion reports for the state. The reports show there were 3,133 abortions in Arkansas during 2021.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement saying, “Arkansas is saving unborn children, protecting women, and ending abortion one step at a time. These reports show abortion is near a forty-five year low. Abortion in Arkansas has declined drastically since 1991, and the state’s abortion rate has been cut in half since 2001. Fewer women came to Arkansas from out of state for abortions last year than in 2020. Teen abortion in Arkansas has remained near an all-time low. We want to end abortion in our state, and these reports show that we are doing that.”

Cox said the reports also show Arkansas’ informed-consent laws have helped women choose options besides abortion. “Arkansas has some of the best informed-consent laws in America. These laws require abortionists to give women all the facts about abortion up front, including abortion’s risks, consequences, and alternatives. They also have to give women plenty of time to consider all options before making a final decision. We estimate from these reports that more than 700 women chose not to have abortions last year after receiving this information.”

Cox said the reports underscore why it is so important that the Arkansas Legislature voted to appropriate one million dollars this year to help women with unplanned pregnancies. “These reports reveal that between fifty-eight and sixty-eight percent of all abortions last year were on single moms. We have to help these women if we want to end abortion. The money that the State of Arkansas appropriated this year will make it possible for single mothers and women with unplanned pregnancies to choose options besides abortion in the future. That’s a good thing.”

Cox said he is hopeful that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade and once again let states make their own abortion laws. In that case, Cox believes that abortion will be illegal in Arkansas except for purposes of saving the life of the mother. “We have strived for many years to bring Arkansas to the point where human life will be respected, and we look forward to a day when abortion is on the trash heap of history where it belongs.”

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