Antifa Activist Charged After Assaulting Female Officer Protecting Pro-Life People

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Aug 13, 2021   |   4:50PM   |   Portland, Oregon

Police arrested an Antifa activist Tuesday after he allegedly pushed a female police officer who was protecting pro-life advocates at a rally outside a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Salem, Oregon.

A report from the Salem Police Department identified the man as Clifford Phillip Eiffler Rodriguez, 35, of Salem. Rodriguez faces charges of second-degree disorderly conduct, interfering with a police officer and harassment, according to police.

Police said Rodriguez shoved a female officer as she moved in line with the other officers to prevent violence at the pro-life rally.

Antifa targeted The Church at Planned Parenthood, a pro-life ministry that holds worship services outside Planned Parenthood abortion facilities to pray and call for an end to the killing of unborn babies.

The pro-life ministry learned about Antifa’s plan ahead of time and warned pro-lifers who planned to participate in the service Tuesday evening outside the Planned Parenthood in Salem.

“Antifa is planning to attack Christians again! It happened in Portland (UNPROVOKED!) on Saturday. But we will not back down!” The Church at Planned Parenthood of Salem, Oregon wrote on its Facebook page. “Everyone and anyone who wants to stand before the Lord and say, I stood up to defend our babies and was persecuted! … Armor up (Ephesians 6:13), stand firm (1 Corinthians 16:13), stay righteous (Proverbs 28:1).”

Keep up with the latest pro-life news and information on Twitter.

Police said the event was “largely peaceful” until about 8:15 p.m. when pro-life advocates began to leave.

“Shortly after, two individuals were seen having a verbal altercation, which turned violent. Participants from each opposing side then deployed chemical irritants at each other and launched smoke fireworks and one mortar-style pyrotechnic device,” police said.

Journalist Andy Ngo, who is widely known for his reporting on Antifa, said the Antifa protesters were the ones who instigated the violence Tuesday night.

“Salem, Ore.: Antifa were held back from attacking the Christians at the Planned Parenthood protest on Tuesday evening by a group of volunteer security,” Ngo posted on Twitter along with a video of the violence. “At the end of the event, the antifa started pepper spraying first, leading to counter spraying & clashes.”

The Post Millennial reports more:

Antifa member Clifford Phillip Eiffler-Rodriguez, 35, of Salem, Ore., was arrested for allegedly assaulting a female police officer, at the violent protest on August 10, when Antifa gathered to attack participants of a street church protest outside Planned Parenthood. …

Antifa activists came in black bloc and “…wore gas masks and helmets and carried shields, paintball guns, bear mace canisters and other devices.” Salem Police added that “Some individuals from both groups openly carried firearms.”

Police did not mention any other arrests or charges.

Earlier this week, Bill Donohue wrote at LifeNews about another Antifa attack on a group of Christians who were praying in a park in Portland, Oregon.

“Antifa, the urban terrorists, brutally assaulted Christians who were praying in a Portland park on August 7th, and the media have almost totally ignored it,” Donohue wrote. “Dressed in black, with face coverings, the left-wing nihilists destroyed the sound system and assaulted the Evangelicals with pepper spray and projectiles.”

Threats, vandalism, violence and other incidents targeting pro-lifers have been growing in recent years.

LifeNews.com recorded about 200 incidents in the past three years, including a bomb threat during a 40 Days for Life event in Minnesota, the brutal attack of an older pro-life man outside an abortion facility in San Francisco, a pro-life banner set on fire inside a Western Washington University building, and a man charged with pulling a gun on pro-lifers outside a Delaware abortion facility.

Reports this year include:

Texas – Pro-Life Billboard Removed After One Day Because of Death Threats From Abortion Activists 

Ohio – Campus Police Shut Down Mason City Council Meeting after Abortion Activists Heckle, Try to Silence Pro-Lifers (video)

Wyoming – Pro-Life Billboard Vandalized with “F— the Babies,” Devil Horns

Arkansas – Abortion Activists Desecrate Statue of Jesus, Hang “God Bless Abortions” Banner

Canada – Pro-Life Memorial Broken in Spate of Vandalism Targeting Catholic Churches (Catholic News Agency)

New York – Police Protect Peaceful Pro-Life Advocates after Pro-Abortion Protesters Block Prayer WalkAbortion Activists Surround, Intimidate Priest Praying the Rosary (National Review)

Maine – Driver Crashes Her Car into Pro-Lifer’s Van After Yelling at Pro-Life Protesters, Flipping Them Off

Northern Ireland – Abortion Activist Assaults Pro-Life Christian Helping Women Outside Abortion Clinic

South Carolina – Antifa Radicals Vandalize Pro-Life Congresswoman Nancy Mace’s Home

Kentucky – Liberal Media Ignores Death Threat against Pro-Life U.S. Sen. Rand Paul

Indiana – Abortion Activist Almost Runs Over Pro-Life Congresswoman Praying Outside Abortion Center

Illinois – Authorities: Fire at Peoria Pro-Life Pregnancy Center Was Intentionally Set (NPR Illinois State University)

Colombia – Moms Slam Abortion Activists who Vandalized Pregnancy Center: My Child’s Life is a Blessing

Texas – Pro-Life Aggies’ Sign Ripped Down, Replaced with Signs Advertising Planned Parenthood (National Right to Life News)

Canada – Church Pro-Life Billboard Vandalized Twice near Vancouver (The B.C. Catholic)

Texas – Conservative Student Group’s Pro-Life Display Vandalized with Pro-Abortion Slogans (KVUE)

Mississippi – Abortion Activists Vandalize Christian Billboard to Promote Abortions

Colombia – Feminists Attack Church to Protest for Abortion, Spray-paint “Rapists” on Church Walls

Mexico – Violent Feminists in Mexico Terrorize Legislators, Threaten Them if They Don’t Vote to Legalize Abortions

Washington, D.C. – Man Threatens to Shoot Pro-Life Sidewalk Counselors (Students for Life)

Argentina – Female Judge Receives Multiple Death Threats after Blocking Pro-Abortion Law (Crux)

Poland – Abortion Activists Arrested during Protest against Ban on Aborting Unborn Babies with Disabilities (The Guardian)

Ohio – Abortion Activists Attack a Church, Disrupt Its Pro-Life Service to Mourn Babies Killed in Abortions

Missouri – Antifa Radicals Attack Pro-Life Senator Josh Hawley’s Home, Threaten His Wife, Newborn Baby