Oregon anti-abortion billboard vandalized, ‘Kill them Kids’ spray painted over baby’s face

A conservative anti-abortion group says their billboard in Portland, Oregon, was vandalized this week, with the words “Kill Them Kids” spray painted over the image of an infant’s face.

The national anti-abortion group ProLife Across America says its advertising partner, Outfront Media, removed the billboard from the 1600 block of Sandy Boulevard after the vandalism occurred. ProLife Across America hopes to replace the billboard as soon as possible.

The original billboard featured a photograph of an infant next to the words “Protect the Babies” and “Heartbeat 18 days from conception.” Vandals spray painted the words “Kill Them Kids” and placed X marks over the baby’s eyes.

ProLife Across America’s website says the group bases its mission and beliefs on “Biblical principles and Roman Catholic teaching,” and aims to “reach out through billboard, radio, print, and online ads to people who may not be reached in any other way.” They said that their ads “create an ‘Atmosphere of Life’ in a ‘culture of death.’”

The decision by the Supreme Court in June last year to overturn Roe v Wade resulted in a nationwide increase in violence and attacks on pro-life groups and facilities.

In August last year, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in front of a Senate panel that the FBI had opened multiple investigations into such attacks and that the Department of Homeland Security was ramping up for an increase in abortion-related attacks in the months following the decision.

Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision, a leaked draft opinion in May that indicated SCOTUS would overturn Roe saw a sharp increase in pro-choice activism across the country, including similar billboard vandalism to pro-life billboards, including another one in Portland in May that had the words “Abort the Supreme Court” painted over the pro-life messaging.