Pardoned Anti-Abortion Activists Plan Renewed Civil Disobedience Amid Reduced Enforcement Policies

Several anti-abortion activists who recently received pardons from former President Donald Trump have stated their intention to restart actions aimed at disrupting operations at abortion clinics across the country. These activists had spent time in federal prison after convictions related to entering clinics and obstructing access, but Trump's January pardons quickly altered their situations.

One activist, Herb Geraghty from Pittsburgh, had served 17 months of his 27-month sentence for interrupting activity at a Washington clinic in 2020. Geraghty, who had initially attempted to reject Trump's pardon, claimed in a recent online event hosted by the anti-abortion group LiveAction that individuals should actively try to prevent abortions by occupying clinic spaces, either by protesting outside or entering the facilities directly. He expressed willingness to continue engaging in nonviolent disruption efforts despite experiencing personal trauma during incarceration.

Another pardoned activist, Jonathan Darnel, who also participated in the event and had received a 34-month sentence for physically obstructing access to a Washington clinic, encouraged local authorities to avoid arresting anti-abortion activists. Darnel specifically appealed to pro-life police officers, urging them to sacrifice job security in order to permit activists to carry out actions he described as rescue operations.

In line with President Trump's actions, the FBI and the Department of Justice have dropped multiple investigations into threats made against abortion providers. A new memo outlines a policy shift specifying that enforcement will significantly decline except under exceptional circumstances such as death, severe injury, or major property damage. Activists are currently advocating for state-level laws to reflect similar approaches, hoping to shield themselves from future prosecutions related to their actions.

Reports also detailed several incidents of disruptions that occurred before the pardons. In one Philadelphia case, an activist locked himself in a Planned Parenthood clinic bathroom for multiple hours, causing almost 50 appointments—some unrelated to abortions—to be rescheduled. Another incident involved activists posing as patients to gain entry into a clinic, resulting in physical interference with appointments and procedures.

Abortion clinic executives, such as Calla Halle, executive director of A Preferred Women’s Health Center operating in Georgia and North Carolina, expressed concern regarding these developments. Halle warned that reduced accountability due to the new Justice Department policy is encouraging protesters towards increased aggression and harassment tactics. She noted a notable rise in intimidation incidents and predicted a potential escalation given activists' confidence in reduced legal repercussions.