Three Pro-Life Activists Sentenced for Clinic Protest

Three pro-life activists, Chester Gallagher, Heather Idoni, and Eva Edl, were sentenced for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act during a 2021 protest at a Tennessee abortion clinic. Gallagher received a 16-month prison sentence, while Idoni was sentenced to eight months, which will run concurrently with a two-year term she is already serving for a similar protest in Washington, D.C. Edl, 89 years old, was sentenced to three years of probation but faces additional charges that could lead to 11 years in prison. The protest has been described as peaceful, although it obstructed access to the clinic. This case has drawn attention due to its implications for pro-life activism under the Biden administration, with some arguing that the charges have been misapplied against peaceful demonstrators. All three activists are also facing separate charges for a protest in Michigan, where they have previous convictions under the FACE Act.