Abortion clinics in two different parts of the United States have been targeted by anti-choice protests, HuffPost reports.
On Friday morning, at least two abortion clinics in the U.S. were targeted by anti-abortion protesters who stormed the clinics’ waiting rooms, refusing to leave. The protesters were eventually arrested by local police for trespassing.
HuffPost confirmed the arrests with Northland Family Planning in Sterling Heights, Mich. and Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic in Alexandria, Va. Two other clinics, one in Columbus, Oh. and another in Albuquerque, New Mexico were also reportedly targeted, but HuffPost has yet to receive confirmation.
Lara Chelian, the Director of Advocacy for the Michigan clinic, told HuffPost that the protestors arrested near the clinic were quickly released—and went back to protest that same day.
The protests appear to be a part of a tactic called “red rose rescue” within the anti-choice community. According to a press release by the Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, the protesters barge into waiting rooms giving red roses to people they assume are waiting to get an abortion. The method was started by Canadian anti-choice activist Mary Wagner, who started doing this in Toronto clinics.