Fire at California Planned Parenthood Determined to Be Arson

Amidst conservative outrage over abortion practices and the distribution of fetal tissue at Planned Parenthood clinics — and an aggressive Congressional hearing with the organization’s president Cecile Richards this week — an alleged act of arson took place at the Thousand Oaks, California location Wednesday night.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Ventura County sheriff’s Capt. John Reilly confirmed on Thursday that an investigation had determined the fire was set deliberately. He said that “someone likely used a rock to shatter a window at the Planned Parenthood facility in the 1200 block of West Hillcrest Drive, then threw gasoline inside the office and ignited it.”

An automatic sprinkler system succeeded in containing the fire quickly after it was set. The same building was hit with minor vandalization six week earlier.

In a statement, the CEO of Planned Parenthood in Thousand Oaks, Jenna Tosh said, “Our commitment today, and always, is to the health and safety of our patients and staff,” adding, “we are determined to reopen as as soon as possible to serve the healthcare needs of our patients.”

[Photo via screengrab]

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