A Planned Parenthood clinic escort was attacked by activist Mark Houck last year. The Department of Justice executed a SWAT raid on the well-known pro-life author’s rural Pennsylvania home on Friday, September 23, leading to his arrest in front of his young children.
According to reports, anti-abortion protester Mark Houck has been charged by federal authorities in Pennsylvania after allegedly pushing a clinic escort who is 72 years old twice. He allegedly violated the 30-year-old Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrance (FACE) Act. This act forbids the use of force with the intent to harm, intimidate, or obstruct the provision of reproductive healthcare services.
During a SWAT team raid on Mark Houck’s house, he was apprehended in front of his kids.
According to sources, Houck attacked a 72-year-old man named “B.L.” in the indictment outside the Philadelphia Planned Parenthood Elizabeth Black Health Center on October 13, 2021.
According to a news release from the Justice Department, the defendant shoved B.L. to the ground when he was trying to escort two patients out of the clinic. In a second instance, Houck was charged with “verbally” harassing B.L. outside the facility before throwing him down violently and inflicting injuries that required medical care.
US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero claims:
Assault is always a serious crime, and the FACE Act makes it a federal offense if the victim is singled out because of their connection to an institution that provides reproductive healthcare. The Department of Justice and our office are committed to going after crimes that jeopardize everyone’s rights and safety.
Jacqueline Maguire, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, added her thoughts on the situation, saying:
Simply told, violence is never the answer. The FBI will work hard to find and prosecute offenders who commit physical violence in violation of the FACE Act.
Ryan-Marie Houck, Mark Houck’s wife, claims that 25 to 30 armed FBI agents attacked their home early on Friday morning. According to reports, the officers banged on the door and yelled at the family to open it.
She begged the police, expressing:
Please be patient; my kids are at home. I’ll answer the door. “At home, I have seven infants.”
Mark added that while yelling at the kids to get upstairs, the agents pointed their pistols at them.
She disclosed:
“Every child was screaming,” Everything was horrible and terrifying.
According to reports, the FBI agents responded, “they were going to take him whether they had a warrant or not,” when Houck’s wife questioned them about the legitimacy of the arrest of her husband.
After accusing the authorities of kidnapping Mark, Ryan-Marie Houck claimed she was given the first page of the arrest warrant. According to the article, Mark was accused of breaking the FACE Act. Mark Houck may spend up to 11 years in jail, undergo three years of supervised release, and pay fines of up to $350,000 if found guilty.
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