A pregnancy resource center in Miami has reached a “favorable” settlement with vandals who attacked its facility in 2022.
Heartbeat of Miami is described as “a faith-based ministry that provides life-affirming services and support to women and couples facing unplanned pregnancies in Hialeah, Florida.” In July 2022, Caleb Freestone and Amber Smith-Stewart committed acts of vandalism against its facility, spray painting pro-abortion messages on the building, including, “if abortions aren’t safe [then] neither are you” and “our rage will not stop,” in addition to the phrase “Jane’s Revenge.” Freestone and Smith-Stewart were said to be members of Antifa and Jane’s Revenge. The duo was later joined by Annarella Rivera in September 2022 to hack and disrupt the organization’s annual fundraising gala.
Following these incidents, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a lawsuit against the perpetrators, in addition to the lawsuit filed by Heartbeat of Miami itself.
“Antifa and Jane’s Revenge are criminal organizations and must answer for their crimes in Florida. I am taking action to hold their members accountable for attempting to intimidate and threaten law-abiding citizens in our state,” she announced in March 2023.
Freestone and Smith-Stewart were also linked to vandalism at South Broward Pregnancy Help Center and LifeChoice Pregnancy Center, the latter of which was spray painted with the messages, “YOUR TIME IS UP!!”, “WE’RE COMING FOR YOU”, and “We are everywhere.”
First Liberty announced the settlement victory for Heartbeat of Miami on X.
Heartbeat of Miami gets justice! Vandals who spray-painted threatening messages on Heartbeat’s property last year will pay for their crimes. Huge thanks to @AGAshleyMoody for holding these violent protestors accountable. This is a big win for Florida's pro-life community. pic.twitter.com/ZWDlhkXXgE
— First Liberty Institute (@1stLiberty) June 28, 2024
“Heartbeat of Miami gets justice!” it stated in the tweet. “Vandals who spray-painted threatening messages on Heartbeat’s property last year will pay for their crimes. Huge thanks to @AGAshleyMoody for holding these violent protestors accountable. This is a big win for Florida’s pro-life community.”
A press release by First Liberty notes that the firm cannot give specific details of the settlement, but says “the vandals associated with Jane’s Revenge who sought to injure, intimidate and interfere with access to Heartbeat of Miami, and several Florida pregnancy resource centers, will be held to account.”
“This case is a reminder that no one should suffer violence for simply providing faith-based counseling and baby supplies to women and their babies,” said First Liberty Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys.
“We are grateful to Attorney General Moody’s leadership in protecting Florida’s religious and pro-life community. Together with our lawsuit, this sends a clear message: those who resort to violence will face the legal penalties for their crimes.”