US Charges 11 Pro-Life Activists for Alleged Violations of Federal Law

U.S. prosecutors have unveiled charges against 11 pro-life activists who they say violated federal law by blockading an abortion clinic in Tennessee in 2021.

Prosecutors say Chester Gallagher and others conspired to blockade a clinic in Mt. Juliet, utilizing Facebook to coordinate travel and logistics for co-defendants.

Caroline Davis, a co-defendant, wrote at one point to Coleman Boyd, who was also charged, that she would meet him for a “rescue” in Tennessee in March 2021.

The group did block a woman and an employee from entering the clinic, authorities said, citing a livestream broadcast by Coleman Boyd, another defendant. The broadcast was titled “Mt. Julet, TN Rescue March 5, 2021.” The group went into the hallway outside the clinic’s two entry doors before it was scheduled to open.

Gallagher said on a separate livestream that he and those with him were “willing to be incarcerated” to “rescue families from this place of destruction.”

A federal grand jury has indicted Gallager, David, Boyd, Heather Idoni, Dennis Green, and Paul Vaughn of conspiracy against rights guaranteed by the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) and violating the act. Eva Edl, Eva Zastro, James Zastro, and Paul Place were charged with violating the law.

The FACE Act bars obstructing people from obtaining “reproductive health services,” including abortions.

Violations carry up to one year in prison. Conspiracy violations carry up to 11 years in jail.

The only lawyer listed on the docket was a public defender. Public defenders do not comment on ongoing cases outside of court.

Edl and Idoni did not respond to requests for comment. The others could not be reached. Vaughn has already made his initial appearance and has been released, according to the docket.

AJ Hurley, director of Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, told The Epoch Times that he was

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