Police are looking into whether vandalism at a Christian, anti-abortion pregnancy center in Littleton, New Hampshire, could be a hate crime, the town's police chief said Tuesday.
The Pathways Pregnancy Care Center on Redington Street reported graffiti on their building to police on June 28. Chief Paul Smith described representatives of the center as being "fearful" after the vandalism.
The message, spray-painted on the side of the building, urged funding for abortion and disparaged God, according to an image provided by police. No arrests have been made, and Smith asked anyone with information about the incident to reach out to his department.
The center is considering hiring on-site security, Smith said. The center is not marked, but it does have signs warning that the premises are "protected by 24 hour audio and visual surveillance."
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The center's executive director, Angel Marshall, issued a statement last week saying the graffiti wouldn't stop it from its work: "Pathways will not allow a hate crime to hinder the much-needed support we provide. This has not and will not deter us from serving our community!"
Pregnancy crisis centers exist across the country and advertise free services and counseling for women struggling with unplanned pregnancies. Experts have said they provide false or misleading information so women don't get abortions, according to NBC News.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade last month sparked rallies and protests from supporters of abortion rights, while people who opposed it celebrated it as a victory.
