Officials investigate arson at central Illinois Planned Parenthood facility
Officials in Illinois say they're searching for a suspect after a fire was set at a Peoria Planned Parenthood facility Sunday. No one was inside at the time of the fire, they say, and one firefighter suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Peoria police say they're looking for a truck that was seen on video footage leaving the scene.
"Senseless acts of vandalism have been on the rise across the country and Illinois has become a target as extreme and divisive rhetoric increases," said Planned Parenthood of Illinois president and CEO Jennifer Welch. "This act of vandalism will have a devastating impact on the community's ability to access birth control, cancer screenings and gender-affirming care."
According to the National Abortion Federation, attacks against abortion providers increased by 128% in 2021. Many abortion clinics across the U.S. also shut down in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
CBS News reported back in June that a masked woman was caught on video setting fire to a Wyoming abortion clinic that was planning to open.
In addition, fire officials in December 2021 ruled that a fire at a Tennessee abortion clinic was intentionally set, and that the site had been previously targeted by the same person. Knoxville officials say Mark Thomas Reno, 64, fired a shotgun at the abortion clinic in early 2021, shattering glass and leaving bullet holes in the reception area. The clinic was forced to close for months to undergo a $2.2 million renovation.