FBI, family dispute arrest of pro-life activist

The FBI arrested Mark Houck on Friday morning for allegedly assaulting an abortion center “escort” last year—that’s typically somebody who walks women inside for abortions. Houck’s wife, Ryan-Marie, said that the FBI showed up in 15 vehicles with a 25-man SWAT team. She also said the team members pointed guns at her family. But the FBI says they showed up with only 15 to 20 agents, without a SWAT team, and that the agents did not point their weapons at the family. According to the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act, it is a federal crime to use force, the threat of force, or physical obstruction to stop someone’s access to abortion or against an abortion worker.

Who is Houck? The 48-year-old Catholic man co-founded and serves as president for The King’s Men, a ministry that seeks to spiritually mentor young Catholic men. His wife told LifeSiteNews that Houck would drive to Philadelphia to speak in front of abortion centers for six to eight hours. Prosecutors indicted him for the assault of a 72-year-old Planned Parenthood escort. Houck’s wife said that he was just trying to defend his son and that he shoved away someone who was shouting at him.

Dig deeper: Listen to my discussion with Carolina Lumetta about how pro-life businesses have faced backlash online and in-person since the fall of Roe v. Wade on The World and Everything in It podcast.