Washington State Clinic Fire-Bombed Days After Anti-Abortion Demonstration
Investigators are hoping to recover suspect-video images this week from a server removed from the charred interior of a Planned Parenthood clinic fire-bombed on Friday in Pullman, Wash.
The arson at the small Eastern Washington clinic is the first significant act of violence since the release of inflammatory videos in July by a group linked to anti-abortion extremists. There were smaller arsons on July 19 at a clinic in Aurora, Ill., and on Aug. 1 involving a vehicle parked at a facility under construction in New Orleans.
David S. Cohen, a law professor at Drexel University and an expert in anti-abortion terrorism, told Hatewatch today that he sees a clear connection between the arson violence and the release of the videos. Providers identified in the videos have received death threats and on-line harassment, he said.
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