The non-profit public interest firm First Liberty Institute issued a press release revealing a lawsuit on behalf of Heartbeat of Miami, Inc. against Jane’s Revenge for financial and legal retributions.
Wednesday’s announcement targeted the pro-choice organization following an attack on the pregnancy center on July 3. This attack was one of many acts of vandalism and violence against pro-life organizations and crisis pregnancy clinics in the wake of the Supreme Court Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade being leaked.
According to the complaint filed, Heartbeat of Miami, Inc., aims to "enjoin Defendants" from damaging or going near Heartbeat facilities, order "the dissolution of the Jane’s Revenge criminal enterprise" and award "compensatory, punitive, and nominal damages" as well as "costs and expenses" for the lawsuit.
"Those who target life-affirming reproductive health facilities must face the legal penalties Congress established for their crimes," First Liberty Senior Counsel, Jeremy Dys said. "No one should suffer violence for simply providing faith-based counseling and baby supplies to women and their babies. Violence is never a lawful response to disagreement."
DOJ CHARGES TWO MORE PEOPLE FOR ATTACKS AGAINST FLORIDA PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CENTER
The lawsuit was also filed in tandem with an additional lawsuit filed by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody who is seeking $170,000 in penalties against each defendant who allegedly vandalized three pregnancy centers in the state.
"Antifa and Jane’s Revenge are criminal organizations and must answer for their crimes in Florida. I am taking action to hold their members accountable for attempting to intimidate and threaten law-abiding citizens in our state," Moody said.
Earlier that day, the Department of Justice announced charges against Gabriella Oropesa and Annarella Rivera for engaging in conspiracy to prevent pregnancy centers from providing services in Florida. This followed previous indictments against Caleb Freestone and Amber Smith-Stewart in January under the same charges.
Freestone, Smith-Stewart and Rivera were also named in First Liberty Institute’s lawsuit as violators of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
This group allegedly targeted a Florida pregnancy center by vandalizing the building with threats reading "If abortions aren’t safe than [sic] neither are you," "YOUR TIME IS UP!!," "WE’RE COMING for U," and "We are everywhere," on the building.
The Department of Justice was previously criticized for hesitating to arrest members of Jane’s Revenge after multiple attacks against pro-life facilities. In September, the pro-choice group claimed credit for more than a dozen arson and vandalism attacks on crisis pregnancy centers with zero arrests pending at the time.
By December, the Department of Justice charged two pro-life activists of violating the FACE Act. At the time, no one associated with Jane’s Revenge was charged.
In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, Dys commented, "If you choose to use bricks and spray paint to show your disagreement with life-affirming reproductive health facilities, you can be sure the law will hold you accountable. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s determination to hold these vandals accountable is commendable. Jane’s Revenge needs to know that its network of vandals may longer intimidate and threaten these faith-based organizations without facing the full force of the law."
In January, Catholic League president Bill Donohue penned a letter to the House Judiciary Committee "requesting an investigation of those responsible for attacks on churches, pro-life activists and crisis pregnancy centers, with a focus on Jane’s Revenge."
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"Indeed, the relaxed response to attacks on those in the pro-life community who have been victimized stands in stark contrast to the aggressive pursuit of the few instances of alleged violations of the law by pro-life Americans," Donohue wrote.
