DANVILLE, Illinois – An anti-abortion extremist was 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. ACS owner and director, LaDonna Prince, was planning to open a new comprehensive reproductive healthcare facility in an abortion-access state following the Dobbs decision.
The violent attack postponed the opening of the clinic for at least a year, leaving women and communities in Indiana, Eastern Illinois, and other states without vital reproductive health services. Prince remains undeterred in her mission to provide abortion care to those in need, despite the act of terrorism committed against her clinic.
Buyno drove to the clinic site with a hatchet, matches, a flare, wood, and bottles and cans filled with gasoline, 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. He claimed to have “rescued” with extremists who supported individuals who murder physicians to stop abortion.
The impact of Buyno’s violence has been significant, causing delays in opening the clinic and ultimately denying care to those who desperately need it. ACS aims to provide care to women and pregnant people, particularly women of color and patients from under-resourced communities.
LaDonna Prince testified about the devastating impact of the attack at the hearing, emphasizing the ongoing harm that the clinic’s closure is causing to the women and communities it serves. U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory K. Harris condemned the defendant’s attempt to prevent women from accessing vital 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 fundraising campaign has been initiated. This initiative aims to ensure that the clinic can resume operations and continue to serve the community in need.
The attack on Affirmative Care Solutions represents a broader challenge to reproductive health services, which are vital for the well-being of women and marginalized communities. As efforts to secure access to these essential services continue, the fight to protect and support the rights of women and pregnant individuals remains ongoing.