HIALEAH, FLA. – A pro-life clinic has been given a fresh new coat of paint after being targeted by vandals.
The Pregnancy Help Medical Clinics in Hialeah was a target of hate Sunday.
The president of the non-profit Martha Avila shared surveillance video with 7News on Tuesday.
The video captured two people walking behind the Heartbeat of Miami building in Hialeah. Then, one of them used a laser targeted at the camera before the screen went black.
Avila believes that action was to cover vandalism that was spray painted all over the building.
“I don’t think the people that participated in this were confused at all,” she said. “They targeted a place that gives counseling to women that their DNA is pro-life, and they try to counsel women to help bring babies to term.”
Hialeah Mayor Steve Bovo posted pictures of the vandalism to social media, calling the act a hate crime.
Some of the words that were written on the walls included “If abortions aren’t safe neither are you.”
In the last few months, similar phrases have been scribbled onto buildings throughout the country, including a pregnancy center in Hollywood in late May. It included the words: “Jane’s Revenge,” considered an extremist abortion rights group. Reports indicate they’ve claimed responsibility for several acts of vandalism that targeted crisis pregnancy centers.
“I believe this falls in the realm of hate crime. Where now you’re taking your political anger, and you’re really focusing it on a group of people that are there to cause good,” said Avila.
She also said it wasn’t the first occurrence that vandalism had taken place at the center. She revealed that back in May, after the Supreme Court leak regarding Roe v Wade, they received two threatening phone calls that they were going to be attacked, which is what led to the installation of security cameras.
Everyone was on edge but since then nothing had happened until this past Sunday.
She believes it may be connected in some way.
“All those things triggered a lot of pain because everything that you see here, all of our things, everything is donated. We only work through donations, everything is free to the women that we serve,” said Avila. “I just want this to stop. I don’t want anyone hurt.”
Bovo said the act of vandalism was carried out by a radical individual, or group of individuals, who are motivated by destruction.
“You should always take issue when somebody tries to destroy property, or deface property ’cause they don’t agree with the law,” said Bovo. “You know the beauty of this country is if you don’t agree with the law, you can work to change the law. Unfortunately, I think many voices have kind of galvanized and emboldened some of these folks. When you have elected officials go out and say, ‘We’re going to fight back,’ what it does sometimes is radicalize some of the fringes to do these kinds of things.”
The vandalism occurred after a Florida judge had blocked the state’s 15-week abortion law.
Last week, a judge ruled that the law violated the state constitution. However, it was quickly reinstated Tuesday after an appeal from the state attorney general in a lawsuit challenged the restriction.
7News was told the Hialeah Police Department is investigating.
Avila said the FBI has been looking into the incidents.