The FBI said it is offering a $25,000 reward for information on a series of attacks on pregnancy centers dating back to last year's Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade.
In a statement, the bureau's Portland office said it will provide the payment to sources and informants who can give "information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for these crimes" at three centers in Oregon.
Last year, between 4 p.m. on July 4 and 8 a.m. on July 6, arson and vandalism occurred at the Mother and Child Education Center in Portland. “IF ABORTION AINT SAFE NEITHER RU JR” and “JANES RVVGG” were scrawled on the property in spray paint, according to officials.
Weeks before, police in Gresham, Oregon, discovered a fire inside the Gresham Pregnancy Center after an alarm was sounded, the FBI said. The center offers care and information for new mothers.
"Once on scene, law enforcement personnel found a fire inside the building. Investigators believe several Molotov cocktails were thrown through a kitchen window in order to ignite the fire," said the release. "Investigators found several large bottles in the kitchen with fire accelerant confirmed on the floor."
And in Keizer, Oregon, the local police department fielded 911 calls on May 8 that reported someone throwing Molotov cocktails at an Oregon Right to Life building, the FBI said. The Oregon Right to Life describes itself as a leading a pro-life group in the state.
"From nearby security footage, investigators determined the suspect retrieved an item from the trunk of their vehicle and walked towards the building," the release states. "A glow could be seen on the security footage that was determined to be flames from the Molotov cocktail thrown at the building."
Shortly after, the assailant was observed running back to a vehicle, the FBI said. That person appeared to have been driving a 2017 to 2018 white Hyundai Elantra.
The FBI Seattle division said it, too, will provide $25,000 for information regarding an arson attack targeting a pregnancy center north of Seattle in Everett, Washington.
"On the night of June 27, 2022, the Two Hearts Pregnancy Aid clinic building located at 3202 Hoyt Avenue in Everett, Washington, was vandalized. Evidence of an incendiary device was recovered from the scene. It is believed to have been thrown through a window in an attempt to cause a fire," it said.
Domestic Terrorism?
A statement issued by FBI Director Christopher Wray suggested the bureau may treat the attacks as domestic terrorism cases. The FBI news release, meanwhile, said that the perpetrators, if convicted on arson charges, could face up to 20 years in prison."Today’s announcement reflects the FBI’s commitment to vigorously pursue investigations into crimes against pregnancy resource centers, faith-based organizations, and reproductive health clinics across the country," Wray said in a statement to news outlets Thursday. "We will continue to work closely with our national, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold responsible anyone who uses extremist views to justify their criminal actions."
“My organization, we are nonprofit, and we help moms, families, kids in need, babies from zero to 5 years old,” Maura White said in June. “We’re just there to help people. And so they mistakenly thought that we were out here doing anti-abortion and everything. The violence was horrible.”
Jane's Revenge—a left-wing pro-abortion group—has encouraged the firebombing and vandalism of pro-life groups and crisis pregnancy centers, starting in May 2022 after a leaked Supreme Court draft suggested Roe v. Wade would be overturned.