JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The head of a Jacksonville abortion clinic is calling on the FBI to investigate the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office after a crowd of around 165 anti-abortion protestors surrounded the clinic Monday, blocking access.
Amber Gavin, VP of Advocacy & Operations at A Woman's Choice of Jacksonville, accuses JSO of failing to protect patients from "harassment and bullying," which she said was frequently "racist, sexist and hateful," and impedes legal medical care.
Gavin said the failure of officers to protect the facility and its clients "is a direct violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act." The statement continued, saying the "atrocious behavior would not be tolerated outside any other medical facility."
First Coast News obtained video of the protest that shows a crowd surrounding the clinic and stopping some traffic.
A spokesperson for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said the zone commander was at the location for about four hours Monday morning with eight officers and supervisors "to ensure order was maintained throughout the protest."
"Assistant Chief Waldrup has been working with members of both parties over the last year to ensure they completely understand their rights and responsibilities as it relates to these events, which have been taking place for years at this location," the spokesperson said.
"He made contact with both parties this morning as JSO arrived - the individual responsible for the protest, as well as the office manager of the business," he said.
"Understand, JSO’s purpose at lawful protests is to keep the peace while not violating citizen’s rights on both sides of the protest. With that in mind, the officers on scene assisted throughout the event with traffic direction and control, pedestrian ingress and egress, as well as escorting patients to and from the business to ensure a safe posture was maintained. There were zero incidents observed by the officers on scene, and there were none reported by protestors, business or patients," JSO's spokesperson told FCN.
Assistant Chief Waldrup again made contact with both parties as the protest was coming to an end, JSO said.
"Neither party had any complaints about the actions taken by JSO to ensure the event was safe for all involved and thanked JSO for all of their support and assistance. Chief Waldrup will continue to have conversations with those involved in these routine protests to ensure everyone is afforded their lawful opportunity to do so, without infringing on the rights of others," the spokesperson said.
Gavin's full statement is below.
"We are deeply disappointed that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office allowed the assembly and a parade to extend beyond common property into private parking lots without dispersing this protest, and allowing the chaos outside our facility to continue as patients sought legally protected healthcare. The anti-abortion harassment and bullying that happens outside of our clinic is racist, sexist, and hateful and when it impedes patients’ access to care, it is illegal.
We have notified the FBI and asked they investigate JSO’s continuing lack of enforcement of the FACE Act, their collusion with anti-abortion protesters, and our complaints about the harassment, intimidation, threats, and acts of violence against our staff, volunteers, and patients that have gone unaddressed by the JSO for years.
No patient should be blocked from getting health care, nor should they be intimidated when seeking care at a clinic. No person should have to experience this intrusion and harassment at their workplace. The tactics used by these law-breaking protesters outside our clinic are intended to frighten and prevent patients from obtaining the reproductive care that is right for them—and to terrorize those that provide this essential care. This atrocious behavior would not be tolerated outside any other medical facility, it should not be tolerated here.
This incident will not deter us from continuing to provide safe, quality, compassionate abortion care to our community."
A Woman’s Choice clinics are woman-owned and operated abortion clinics that offer first and second-trimester abortion care, miscarriage management, pregnancy testing, emergency contraception, birth control, and HIV/STI testing.
A Woman’s Choice has clinics in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh, NC and Jacksonville, FL.