DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — An issue that’s been causing a divide in the Danville community came to a head this weekend.
A man is accused of driving into the site of a future reproductive health clinic. The entryway to the building is now boarded up after it was vandalized early Saturday morning.
The Danville community has been vocal on both sides of the abortion argument since a new clinic was announced in February. Just a few weeks ago, people packed a meeting about an ordinance that would impose a fine for any shipping or receiving of abortion pills and supplies.
It passed and Mayor Rickey Williams was the swing vote. He says he’s not afraid of any lawsuits in response, but some people are afraid of what they saw over the weekend at the site of the future abortion clinic.
A neighbor, who doesn’t want to be identified, says she heard banging that sounded like someone was messing with her car, but instead, she says it was someone ramming their own car into the clinic building. She says shortly after she saw a man trying to get away.
Court documents show 73-year-old Philip Buyno was arrested and his charges include conspiracy against civil rights, terrorism, attempted arson, and criminal damage.
The neighbor says police used to sit in the parking lot to keep an eye on the building. But since these no-trespassing posts went up, she says she hasn’t seen them. While she doesn’t agree with the clinic opening, she says that doesn’t give people the right to destroy it.
Police confirmed that the FBI and the US attorney’s office are handling the case.