(Image via wsj.com)

Volunteer Writer: Skyler Pereyra

Email: spereyra@umassd.edu

Most of us are familiar with the pressing issues going on in America regarding abortion. The debates regarding this topic have stirred the pot throughout the country, leading many to extreme actions. 

Back on Monday, March 13th, 2022, months before the overturn of Roe V. Wade, a man by the name of Chance Brannon and two other men were involved in an attack on Costa Mesa Clinic. At the time of the attack, Brannon was stationed at Camp Pendleton in North California as an active member of the U.S. Marine Corps.  

The attacked clinic is run by the Planned Parenthood Federation in America, which is most known for its work in providing easy access to abortions. 

Around 1:00 AM that day, Brannon and co-attacker Tibet Ergul threw a Molotov cocktail at the clinic entrance. Thankfully, only a small number of people were inside, leaving no injuries. However, due to the damage and repairs, staff and patients were escorted out, and appointments were inevitably delayed and canceled. 

Xavier Batten was the third person involved in the crime. While he was not at the scene, he helped and conspired with the perpetrators regarding the plan by instructing Brannon how to create the Molotov in Ergul’s garage.

During his trial on April 15th, 2024, Brannon admitted to plotting other attacks, such as at Dodger Stadium in L.A. during a Pride celebration and the Anti-Defamation League in San Diego.

According to the plea deal, he ended up choosing the Planned Parenthood clinic because “he wanted to make a statement against abortion, scare pregnant women away from obtaining abortions, deter doctors, staff, and employees of the clinic from providing abortions, intimidate and interfere with the patients of the clinic, and encourage others to engage in similar acts of protest.”

He was officially sentenced to prison for nine years and charged with one count of conspiracy, malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and intentionally damaging a reproductive health services facility. 

Ergul pleaded guilty on February 29th, 2024, to “one felony count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility” and will face his sentence hearing on May 30th, 2024.

Batten also pleaded guilty on January 19th, 2024, to “one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility,”  and his sentence hearing is on May 15th, 2024. 

While many people know Planned Parenthood for their work with abortion, they provide a wide variety of services. Their mission statement explains that “…patients who visit Planned Parenthood health centers annually seek education, resources and preventive services — including birth control and sex education, STD testing and treatment, and screenings for cervical, breast, and other cancers.”

Unfortunately, as abortion laws in certain states become stricter, Planned Parenthoods are being targeted and shut down. The U.S. Justice Department has a page dedicated to listing recent violence against reproductive health care providers. 

The New York Times also published a detailed article on the first anniversary of the overturn of Roe V. Wade that provides extensive information and research regarding the closures of many Planned Parenthood clinics around the country.

Planned Parenthood provides valuable resources to over 2.4 million people in the country by advocating for sexual and reproductive health care, advancing global health, and providing affordable health care for those in need. 

If you are interested in helping fight for abortion access, Planned Parenthood accepts donations to the organization in general as well as specific leagues throughout the country. 

For more information about Planned Parenthood in Massachusetts, check out their website, specifically for the state. There, you can make an appointment with them in person or online and access important health information.