DANVILLE, Illinois – An anti-abortion extremist, Philip Buyno, has been sentenced to five years in prison for driving his car through and attempting to set fire to the site of Affirmative Care Solutions (ACS), an abortion clinic planning to open in Danville, Illinois. U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce also ordered Buyno to pay $327,547 in restitution, while noting it was unlikely Buyno had any assets.
The owner and director of ACS, LaDonna Prince, had purchased the property last spring to open a new comprehensive reproductive healthcare facility in an abortion-access state following the Dobbs decision. The clinic planned to open prior to Indiana’s total abortion ban going into effect last year.
Buyno’s violent attack delayed the opening of the clinic by at least a year, perhaps more. He drove to the clinic site with a hatchet, matches, a flare, wood, and bottles and cans filled with gasoline; he then repeatedly rammed his car into the building, destroying the main entrance, damaging the rear wall, and harming the foundation, before becoming stuck in the rubble. According to the criminal complaint, Buyno told arresting officers he intended to destroy the clinic and if he were released from jail, he would “finish the job.”
Buyno also identified himself as a member of a “rescue group” and claimed to have “rescued” with extremists who have openly supported violence against abortion providers. At the hearing, Prince testified about the impact of Buyno’s violence, highlighting the detrimental effect it had on the clinic’s ability to provide necessary care to women and pregnant people, especially women of color and patients from under-resourced communities.
ACS will provide care to women and pregnant people, especially women of color and patients from under-resourced communities. The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, Gregory K. Harris, condemned Buyno’s attempt to prevent women in the community from accessing important reproductive health services.
To support the ongoing repairs to Affirmative Care Solutions clinic, one of the few abortion clinics owned and operated by a Black woman in the U.S., a GoFundMe initiative has been launched.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by abortion providers and the communities they serve in ensuring access to reproductive healthcare, underscoring the importance of continued support for organizations like Affirmative Care Solutions.