‘TECHNOLOGICAL WARFARE’

Pro-Life Activists Are Making Fake Appointments to Thwart Abortion Providers

One abortion opponent said they make dozens of fake appointments every day to waste providers’ time.

Anti-abortion activists in the Philadelphia area are targeting abortion providers by making fake appointments in a bid to keep them from treating real patients, according to a new report by Philly Magazine. Activists who spoke to the magazine on the condition of anonymity said they hope to overwhelm the system and delay abortions, with the ultimate goal of “sav[ing] every life possible,” according to one person interviewed. One activist called the technique “technological warfare,” and another said they make dozens of fake appointments every day. Sheila Ramgopal, the CEO of a reproductive health center in Pittsburgh, said some of the activists contact on-call services and feign medical emergencies to “distract us from giving people the care they need.” Ramgopal said that even though providers are aware of a surge in such fake appointments, adding any kind of extra vetting procedure to the appoint-making process was not an option, as that could inadvertently dissuade those who actually need an abortion from scheduling the procedure.