Texas Right to Life receives bomb threat at Austin office: 'This is a spiritual war'
A Texas-based pro-life activist organization received a new bomb threat against one of its offices, allegedly due to its support for the state’s controversial heartbeat abortion ban restricting abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy.
Texas Right to Life released a statement Monday explaining that its legislative office in Austin had received a bomb threat that morning.
The threat came in the form of what the lobbying group labeled a “suspicious letter” sent to the office, which threatened to bomb the organization and said that they should expect to “receive the bodies of aborted babies.”
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Authorities arrived at the office at 11:40 a.m., according to the statement. The Austin Police Department is investigating the incident.
“Devaluing life inside the womb inevitably leads to violence outside the womb,” Texas Right to Life President Elizabeth Graham said in a statement. “These recent crimes demonstrate the brokenness, anger, and pain of the pro-abortion movement. We pray for the perpetrator, that he or she may find healing in Christ, and we ask for prayers for our staff.”
Kimberlyn Schwartz, director of media and communication for Texas Right to Life, told The Christian Post in a statement Thursday that the most recent threat and other threats they have received are “heartbreaking.”
“These threats are heartbreaking, not only because they endanger our staff, but also because they reveal the anger and pain that abortion leaves on the hearts of its proponents,” stated Schwartz.
“Ultimately, this is a spiritual war. Texas Right to Life is taking ground from deep in the Evil One’s territory and proclaiming the sanctity of Life. Now is the time for all Christians to stand up for preborn children and pray for the end of abortion.”
In another email cited by The Texas Citizen Journal, Graham said the organization is working with the Austin Police Department and the FBI to determine the validity of the threat.
According to Texas Right to Life, the threatening letter stated: “LETS BOMB TEXAS FOR LIFE AND CHANGE IT TO – TEXAS FOR DEATH.”
Texas Right to Life, which was instrumental in helping craft Texas’ new abortion law, received an email in September from someone threatening to blow up its headquarters in Bellaire. A suspicious package was delivered to that office later that day.
The facility was evacuated and bomb experts from Houston checked the package, which turned out to not have an explosive device inside.
“Texas Right to Life did the right thing in contacting the police,” said the Bellaire Police Department in a statement to CP in September.
“It was fortunate that our officers were on scene when the suspicious package was delivered and we appreciate the occupants of the building working with police to quickly clear out in the event that this was an actual bomb.”
In May, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas Heartbeat Act prohibiting most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually about six weeks into a pregnancy.
The law is not enforced through state officials but rather through private citizens given financial incentives to sue abortion providers and anyone who helps a pregnant woman procure an abortion.
Despite multiple pre-enforcement legal challenges, including from the Biden administration, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the controversial legislation to take effect on Sept. 1.
On Nov. 1, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for around three hours on the Texas law, focusing on the means through which the ban was enforced.
“Since the Texas Heartbeat Act took effect September 1, abortion advocates wished rape upon our female staff and their daughters, left vicious voicemails, circulated the home addresses of employees online, and threatened to bomb our offices twice within four months,” Texas Right to Life’s Monday statement reads. “Texas Right to Life has taken proactive measures to ensure the safety of our staff since we became the target of violent messages online and by phone due to the Texas Heartbeat Act.”
In September, an Oklahoma man was arrested for making death threats to pro-life Texas legislators.
