Police investigate ‘hate crime’ vandalism at a Hialeah pro-life pregnancy center

A pro-life pregnancy clinic in Hialeah was vandalized on Sunday in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade being overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The walls of the Pregnancy Help Medical Clinic, 390 W. 49th St, were marked with graffiti that referred to “Jane’s Revenge.” The mayor and police call it a hate crime.

The group that calls itself “Jane’s Revenge,” considered by many to be extremists in favor of abortion choice, has not claimed responsibility for the Hialeah vandalism, but has for other incidents of firebombing, vandalism and arson targeting pregnancy clinics. The first incident claimed by the group happened at a crisis pregnancy center in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 8, 2022, according to NBC 26.

The Hialeah pregnancy clinic denounced the attack in a message posted on its Instagram account: “Pro-abortion terrorists have attacked and destroyed our medical clinic for pregnant women in Hialeah, causing thousands of dollars in damage to our construction and security system. They have vandalized a clinic that provides free services to women and families in need. We know that this attack is pure evil and we are heartbroken, but we also know that God is on our side. We will overcome!”

Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo Jr. said the city’s police department “is investigating what it considered a hate crime perpetrated by a radical individual or a group of radical individuals, those who are motivated by the destruction and usurpation of the rule of law.”

Hiealeah police Lt. Edward Rodríguez told el Nuevo Herald that the department has several clues about the incident.

“A man and a woman arrived at the clinic on Sunday at 1:13 a.m. with their faces covered and wearing gloves,” he said. “They used laser to damage the images and then used sprays to cover the cameras.”

The messages rebuked the clinic: “Pro-life? What about the death penalty for the defendants?” “If abortions are not safe, neither are you.” The graffiti was on the walls less than 24 hours before being painted over.

Rodríguez said that police are investigating the act as a “hate crime” because “the purpose was to attack this type of clinic due to the political decisions that have been made” in the country. He said the department has increased patrols.

If anyone is caught and convicted, the vandalism could be a first-degree misdemeanor and lead to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, he said.

According to the Catholic News Agency similar vandalism happened at the South Broward Pregnancy Help Center, about 45 minutes north of Miami.

So far this is the first time an act of vandalism has been reported at a pro-life clinic in Hialeah, Rodríguez said.