CompassCare, a pro-life crisis pregnancy center in New York, is filing a lawsuit under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) against two pro-abortion vandals. This action comes after Biden’s Department of Justice seemingly dismissed pro-life complaints and legal cases.
CompassCare, with multiple locations across New York, became the target of several attacks by pro-abortion vandals in the wake of the leaked Dobbs v. Jackson memo in May 2022. The attacks on pro-life centers escalated across the country, and in June 2022, CompassCare’s Amherst facility was firebombed by a pro-abortion terrorist group known as Jane’s Revenge. This violent act resulted in injuries to firefighters, caused over $500,000 in damages, and forced the clinic to close for more than three months.
In another incident that occurred in March 2023, vandals spray-painted “LIARS” in red graffiti on the Amherst facility’s sign.
Frustrated by the lack of response from federal authorities after the firebombing, CompassCare’s CEO, James Harden, decided to take legal action. He stated, “It is ridiculous that as pro-life citizens, we are forced to do the job of both the FBI and DOJ. The FBI refused to investigate, so we hired private investigators. The DOJ refuses to indict, so we brought FACE charges.”
The lawsuit specifically names two women, Hannah Kamke and Jennifer Page, as those responsible for the vandalism at the Amherst clinic. According to CompassCare’s complaint, Kamke recently pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for vandalizing the CompassCare sign, incurring over $2,500 in damages.
The lawsuit also alleges that Jennifer Page is a self-described “abortion enthusiast” who has organized protests to physically block and threaten pro-life events. During one protest, Page and other pro-abortion advocates engaged in aggressive behavior, including hitting a police officer, assaulting a CompassCare supporter, placing nails and glass in a public walkway (injuring at least one person), and defacing the sidewalk with lewd, vulgar, and threatening messages.
Both Page and Kamke have used illegal conduct to attempt to prevent women from obtaining reproductive healthcare services offered by CompassCare and have tried to threaten and intimidate staff and volunteers providing pro-life resources.
The 1994 FACE Act, initially designed to protect abortion clinics, prohibits pro-life and pro-abortion advocates from obstructing the entrance to a reproductive health care clinic or using force or threats to intimidate staff members or women seeking help.
CompassCare argues that the Department of Justice has been selective in addressing attacks on pro-life clinics, despite numerous incidents. The organization’s complaint calls for equal protection under the law, as only four pro-abortion activists have been charged with FACE Act violations, despite more than 88 attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers since 2022.
CompassCare’s decision to take these vandals to court sends a strong message that violence and intimidation against pro-life organizations will not be tolerated. This legal action is an essential step in defending the rights and safety of pro-life advocates and the women who seek assistance and support from crisis pregnancy centers. It remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will unfold, but CompassCare’s determination to stand up for its rights and the principles it believes in should be commended.
