Ten pro-abortion protesters arrested in Oregon

Jenny Goldsberry

June 26, 02:03 PM June 26, 02:03 PM

Ten people were arrested in Oregon on Friday following pro-abortion protests that clashed with a police barricade.

The Eugene Police Department became aware of a demonstration outside Dove Medical Center, a free pregnancy diagnosis clinic, at 10 p.m. and set to block the building "due to the potential for property damage," according to police. About 75 protesters arrived in hoods and masks, with several wearing gas masks and throwing smoke bombs at police, who had established a barrier around the building.

Police warned the crowd that protesters were committing disorderly conduct before arresting 10 people between the ages of 18-29. Nine people were charged with disorderly conduct, with one getting charged with harassment and another charged with resisting arrest and third-degree escape. As protesters were arrested, the crowd decreased, ending the dispute after roughly five hours.

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Officers reported minor injuries at the scene. The Springfield Police Department and Department of Homeland Security also got involved to help clear the crowd.

Dove Medical Center was previously vandalized in May with spray-painted messages including "From Jane," "Not a clinic," and "Abortion is healthcare." Communist and anarchist symbols were also painted over the building.

The University of Oregon is in the city of Eugene, near the clinic. Oregon was one of the first states in the nation to legalize abortion, going as far as permitting late-term abortions in its newest law, codified in 2017. Private health insurance plans also became obligated to cover abortions with no out-of-pocket costs.

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Protests have broken out nationwide since the Supreme Court released its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, even in states with more ambiguous futures in regard to abortion laws, like Arizona. The court's decision has left the question of access to abortion up to individual states by dismantling the previous federal protection.