LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) — As federal lawmakers battle over bills to protect nationwide access to abortion and contraception, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares paid a visit to a recently-vandalized pregnancy crisis center in Lynchburg to share a message about the future of similar facilities.
According to the Lynchburg Police Department, the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center was vandalized during the early morning hours on June 25, not long after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Police say the facility and its sidewalks were covered in graffiti — included a spray painted phrase saying “IF ABORTION AIN’T SAFE YOU AIN’T SAFE!” — and multiple windows were shattered. Lynchburg police have released some photos of the damage to aid in the investigation.
During his tour of the pregnancy center on Wednesday, July 13, Miyares was accompanied by several members of the General Assembly — including state Sen. Steve Newman, state Sen. Mark Peake, Del. Wendell Walker — as well as people from the community.
“We had a meeting this morning, both with State Police and DCJS, where they are offering to any crisis pregnancy center that wants a free onsite evaluation on how to enhance security, they will come in and they will help,” said Miyares.
Teresa Pregnall, the state director of Concerned Women for America, says many pregnancy centers are receiving support from the community following that destruction.
“Sometimes trouble brings about really good things, and what was meant for evil is being turned around and turning into something really beautiful, something really good,” Pregnall said.
In order to prevent future damage, Miyares says there is a national security grant of about $1.3 million that organizations can apply for in order to keep security at the forefront of their priorities.
As of this writing, police are still investigating the vandalism at the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center, so if you have any information about that incident or recognize the people photographed below, you are asked to call Detective Dubie at 434-941-9937 or Crime Stoppers at 888-798-5900.
Police are trying to identify these people in connection with the vandalism of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg on June 25, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Lynchburg Police Department) 
Police are trying to identify this person in connection with the vandalism of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg on June 25, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Lynchburg Police Department) 
Police are trying to identify this person in connection with the vandalism of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg on June 25, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Lynchburg Police Department) 
Police are trying to identify this person in connection with the vandalism of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg on June 25, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Lynchburg Police Department) 
Police are trying to identify this person in connection with the vandalism of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg on June 25, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Lynchburg Police Department)
In the meantime, the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center is back up and running, ready to offering its services for women in the community.
