On Sunday, Jan. 15, the Planned Parenthood at the Peoria Health Center was the victim of an arson attack. An unknown suspect threw a flammable object into one of the windows before driving off. The fire department was called and put the fire out quickly, but not before the building took on damage and one of the firefighters sustained non-life threatening injuries. Luckily, no staff or patients were in the room at the time of the fire.
While there is a truck associated with the crime, the perpetrator is still unknown and investigations into the attack are currently underway. As of now, there haven’t been any arrests made.
The cost that it will take to fix the damages to the building are between $150,000 to $1 million. This means that the clinic is likely to be shut down for at least a month, depriving the community of access to essential services.
The clinic provides the abortion pill, but this facility doesn’t perform in-clinic abortions. The vast majority of patients came to this Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings, STI screenings, birth control and gender affirming healthcare.
In the week following the attack, dozens of people led by community organizers rallied outside of the building in support of Planned Parenthood. The activists in attendance stood up for reproductive rights in Illinois and across the country. In order to raise awareness and show the community’s support for Planned Parenthood through this difficult time, people held signs, chanted and sang.
This attack follows Gov. JB Pritzker’s signing of sweeping abortion legislation into Illinois law, which protects the procedure. Signage occurred around the 50th anniversary of the, now-defunct, landmark Roe v. Wade case. In light of such pivotal historical events, it makes you wonder if the perpetrator chose this date to attack purposefully.
Hate has no home in Illinois, and I stand with those who helped rally around this essential part of our community.
For more information, read here: https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/01/23/planned-parenthood-peoria-arson/69830137007/