New York AG sues anti-abortion activists for harassing Planned Parenthood staff, patients

New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against two anti-abortion activists, accusing them of illegally blocking access to a Planned Parenthood clinic and harassing patients and staffers.

James is seeking a preliminary injunction prohibiting Bevelyn Beatty and Edmee Chavannes from coming within a buffer zone around the immediate area of the Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s Manhattan Health Center.

“For almost 50 years, Roe v. Wade has made clear the right of women to control their own bodies,” James said in a statement. “Despite the clear protections under the law, these individuals used violent and illegal tactics to harass, threaten, and block women from entering Planned Parenthood.”

Beatty and Chavannes could not immediately be reached for comment.

According to the complaint, the two have been showing up at the clinic almost every week since early 2019.