Threats to family planning: 3 men arrested this month for threatening violence against abortion providers

A Tennessee man was arrested yesterday for allegedly threatening to shoot en masse Planned Parenthood in Washington, DC The suspect is the third person to be charged with threatening violence against the abortion provider this month alone.

According to the authorities, on August 13, 20-year-old Jacob Cooper used the iFunny website to post a message saying, "Make sure you explain to them how I plan to photograph a retirement home in Washington DC on August 19 at 15 pm. hours. "

Cooper reportedly posted a second comment on the website, stating, "If you are a member of the FBI, CIA, whatever, and you are on my profile, I will find your IP address and kill you if the opportunity And I'm really serious about I'm going to do it with bomb, castor or .308 Whatever the outcome, the end result will be the same, I'm serious about it. contact me personally, I'll do it, I'm going to kill you … Once again, I'm serious, Sic semper tyrannis. "

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., issued a statement in which it was written: "No one should face the threat of violence solely for the sake of health care."

"We are proud to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our employees and our patients so that they can get the high quality health care they need, we are strong and our doors remain open for all those who need our care., "the statement added.

Last year, violent crime against abortion clinics reached a record high, according to the National Abortion Federation, a Washington DC-based advocacy group for the right to abortion. Providers reported 1,369 incidents of violence against their clinics in 2018, compared to 1,081 in 2017, according to the group's 2018 report. Disruption incidents (eg hate mail, obstruction and picketing) also hit a record high. 2018, suppliers reporting more than 100,000 incidents nationwide.

The three men accused of threatening extreme violence against family planning facilities all used iFunny, an online social platform known for its white supremacist content. Earlier this month, Justin Olsen, an 18-year-old Ohio man, was arrested for posting threats to the website, including a photo of a man shooting guns with the caption: "I'm going to the nearest Planned Parenthood".

Although Olsen described the threat as a "joke," the authorities seized 15 rifles, 10 semi-automatic pistols and 10,000 rounds of ammunition during a raid in which he was living. Olsen was then indicted by a grand jury, accusing him of uttering threats against law enforcement officials.

Referring to Olsen's arrest, Farhan Sheikh issued threats against family planning in Illinois earlier this week. A 19-year-old man from Chicago wrote, "I'm done with my state bulls and thier (sic) — abortion laws and allowing innocent children (sic) to die." Be slaughtered for what is called "women's rights" — Ive (sic) saw nothing except that the whores go out of their way to have an abortion, but no more. "

"I will shoot and murder any doctor, patient or visitor I see in the area and I will not back down," Sheikh wrote.

Sheikh was arrested last week for "transmitting a threat in interstate commerce," according to a statement from the Justice Ministry. If Cheikh is convicted, he could be sentenced to five years in prison.