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Crime, Law and Justice
Tim Nelson

Minneapolis police investigating vandalism at 'crisis pregnancy center'

Vandalized window
A vandalized window at First Pregnancy Center in Minneapolis on Saturday.
First Pregnancy Center Facebook page

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Minneapolis police are investigating vandalism reported over the weekend at a “crisis pregnancy center” operated by a group opposed to abortion.

New Life Family Services, which operates the First Care Pregnancy Center at 2015 Chicago Ave. in the Phillips neighborhood, reported Saturday that someone broke windows and spray-painted on the building the previous night. A video shared by the group shows graffiti left on windows by the entrance, including the phrase: “If abortion arn’t safe neither r u.”

It’s at least the third incident of vandalism targeting abortion opponents in the Twin Cities since last summer, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Abortion remains legal in Minnesota.

In the most-recent incident, Minneapolis police said officers were flagged down early Saturday by a Metro Transit bus driver who reported seeing two people vandalizing the building. Responding officers didn't find anyone at the center when they arrived, but contacted building security and processed the scene for evidence.

There were no arrests in the case as of Monday morning.

First Care’s website says it “provides comprehensive services including pregnancy testing, information about abortion, options counseling, ultrasounds, and STD testing and treatment.”

It’s a program of New Life Family Services, which states it counsels “women and men who believe abortion is the ‘only’ solution to an unplanned pregnancy,” with “the hope each client will make a life-affirming decision for their unborn child.”

In a statement on New Life’s website, Executive Director Tammy Kocher said the group is “fully committed to continue serving the Phillips community“ in the wake of the vandalism. It also operates First Care Pregnancy Centers in St. Paul, Richfield and Rochester, as well as a second Minneapolis location.

Last July, vandals broke windows and spray-painted graffiti on a St. Paul “crisis pregnancy center” operated by the group Birthright. Several weeks prior to that, in June, someone smashed windows and left spray-painted graffiti on the offices of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life in Minneapolis.