A fire in the office of a against abortion The group in Wisconsin over the weekend is being investigated for the purpose of arson, according to authorities in the capital, Madison.
A statement from Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes called the incident an “arson” and expressed the department’s support for free speech and condemned the violence. According to a police report posted online, a molotov cocktail was thrown inside the building, but did not catch fire. No one was injured, but the report suggested that the incident could have been a “targeted” attack on a nonprofit that advocates for anti-abortion measures.
While police did not identify the group in their initial account, local media quickly reported the site as home to the anti-abortion group Wisconsin Family Action.
According to Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and a photo posted on Twitter by a reporter with the local NBC affiliateBlack graffiti left at the site of the fire reads: “If abortion isn’t safe, neither are you.”
The fire comes days after the Supreme Court’s draft opinion will be overturned Roe v. Wade and decades of discipline on abortion rights in the US leaked – and caused outrage across the country. Wisconsin is one of the states with moneyRoe the law would probably go into effect and ban virtually all abortions in that case, Sentinel reported.
Wisconsin Family Action was founded in 2006 with a mission to promote “Judeo-Christian principles and values in Wisconsin by strengthening, preserving, and promoting marriage, family, life, and freedom.” , according to the organization’s website. President of the organization, Julaine Applinglearned of the fire while preparing for a Mother’s Day brunch with another team member, she told Wisconsin State Magazine.
“What you’re going to see here is a direct threat against us,” Appling told the newspaper. “Imagine if someone was already in the office when this happened. They will be injured. “
Local police said the union was being investigated and Democratic Governor Tony Evers was quick to condemn the incident, even though it was still unclear who was behind the incident.
There is a long legacy of violent attacks against abortion providers and medical centers that provide abortions in the United States. The Madison incident doesn’t fit that pattern.
