Attorney General James Takes Action to Hold Militant Anti-Abortion Group in Contempt for Blocking Access to Abortion Care

August 27, 2024

NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed a motion to hold Red Rose Rescue, an anti-abortion extremist group, in contempt for willfully defying a court order that prohibits the group and its members from blocking access to reproductive health care clinics. In June 2023, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) filed a lawsuit against Red Rose Rescue for invading reproductive health care clinics, threatening staff and clinicians, and terrorizing patients. In December 2023, OAG obtained a preliminary injunction that prohibited the group from coming within 15 feet of reproductive health care clinics within the jurisdictions of the Southern District of New York (SDNY) and the Eastern District of New York (EDNY).

Just three weeks after the order was granted, Red Rose Rescue member Bernadette Patel was captured on camera accosting patients outside of a Planned Parenthood in Manhattan - the first of at least four instances in which she blatantly defied the court order. Patel had previously indicated that OAG's lawsuit would not stop her from obstructing access to clinics.

"Red Rose Rescue will stop at nothing to interfere with anyone seeking or providing reproductive health care," said Attorney General Letitia James. "If Red Rose Rescue and its members want to flagrantly disregard a court order, then they must also be prepared to face the consequences. Too many New Yorkers have suffered at the hands of this hateful group - it is time they be held accountable for their blatant disregard of our laws, our courts, and our bodily autonomy."

The preliminary injunction Attorney General James won in December 2023 prohibits any member of Red Rose Rescue from coming within 15 feet of any reproductive health care facility in 13 downstate New York counties. Patel first violated the injunction on January 6, 2024, three weeks after the order was granted. That day, other anti-abortion activists posted photos of Patel standing directly in front of Planned Parenthood in Manhattan, positioning herself in the middle of walkways to accost and follow patients as they approached.

One week later, on January 13, 2024, Patel was again photographed within 15 feet of Planned Parenthood in Brooklyn, standing close to the clinic doorway in order to confront patients entering the building. Both days, Patel wore a pink vest resembling the vests of legitimate Planned Parenthood clinic escorts in an effort to confuse patients who approached the clinic about her true intentions.

Patel accosts a clinic escort and patient attempting to enter Planned Parenthood in Brooklyn on January 13, 2024.

Earlier this month, on August 10, Patel violated the order for a third time, interfering with patients' ability to enter Planned Parenthood in Brooklyn, where she was photographed kneeling by the entrance to the building. A fourth time, on August 15, Patel closely followed and crowded patients at the entrance to Planned Parenthood in Manhattan.

Patel stands at the entrance to Planned Parenthood in Brooklyn with anti-abortion literature on January 13, 2024.

In previous public statements, Patel has stated that she intended to defy any order issued in OAG's lawsuit, writing in a July 2023 op-ed: "Like Satan trying to tempt and lead all followers of Christ to sin, the state is persecuting us, hoping we will falter in our pro-life beliefs or stop doing pro-life work. I certainly won't, and neither will my friends." Patel has made it very clear she has no regard for the law or the preliminary injunction prohibiting her continued interference with patients, and Attorney General James is filing this motion for contempt to ensure Red Rose Rescue and Patel are held accountable.

Attorney General James is seeking sanctions of at least $500 per violation, totaling at least $2,000, to deter Patel, Red Rose Rescue, and other members of the organization from continuing to violate the court-ordered buffer zone. This action builds on prior enforcement efforts by OAG, including providing clinics covered by the court order with posters explaining the buffer zone protections and identifying leading members of Red Rose Rescue.

Poster provided to reproductive health care clinics protected by the December 2023 court order.

Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Attorney General James launched a pro bono legal hotline to provide legal support to patients and health care providers nationwide. New Yorkers are encouraged to call the New York abortion rights legal hotline at (212) 899-5567 for free legal information and resources about accessing abortion.

This matter is being handled by Senior Counsel Sandra Pullman, Assistant Attorney General Zoe Ridolfi-Starr, and Research Analyst Joseph Flores of the Civil Rights Bureau, Assistant Attorney General Julia Toce of the Watertown Regional Office, and Assistant Attorney General Heather McKay of the Rochester Regional Office, under the supervision of Civil Rights Bureau Chief Sandra Park. Additional assistance was provided by Special Counsel for Reproductive Justice Galen Leigh Sherwin of the Executive Division, Health Care Bureau Chief Darsana Srinivasan, and Detective Investigator Wilsonia Jean-Philippe of the Investigations Bureau. The Civil Rights Bureau and the Health Care Bureau are part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux. The Investigations Bureau is a part of the Division for Criminal Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado. The Executive Division, Division for Social Justice, and Division for Criminal Justice are all overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.