Mark Houck, a 48-year-old catholic pro-life-activist, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a planned parenthood clinic escort on two occasions. The federal indictment stated that Houck verbally confronted and forcefully shoved the healthcare worker as the latter was trying to escort two patients in October 2021.
The healthcare worker with initials BL is a 72-year-old man who was injured and had to be administered treatment for the same.
Houck is from Kintnersville, Pennsylvania, and is the co-founder and president of The King's Men, a Catholic Ministry that aims to spiritually mentor young Catholic men.
Houck was a regular visitor at this clinic who delivered speeches against abortions and called upon people to refrain from the same.
Did Mark Houck Carry Out Assaults in the Past? Social Media Questions
A report published by the New York Post stated that US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced Friday that Houck had been charged by indictment with violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Romero also stated that law makes it a federal crime to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate, and interfere with anyone because that person is a provider of reproductive health care.
However, Houck's wife Ryan-Marie claimed that SWAT team of 25 came to arrest her husband and threatened to break open the door. She also claimed that they had guns pointed at her kids, husband and herself. But the Philadelphia office of FBI denied this terming them as baseless allegations.
A faction of social media followers has condemned Houck for assaulting the healthcare worker. They said that the true worshippers of God should abstain from violence at any and every cost. Some people also stated that a thorough investigation should be carried out in Houck's past as it could lead to many such incidents of violence against other people.
A Twitter user shared his views by writing, "Mark Houck worships a God that lets him assault 72-year-olds and force births, but he's not the only person to blame. His violence is a direct product of right-wing extremism. The Republican Party needs to take responsibility of their "activists."
"STFU TRAITOR TOT This man Mark Houck is a religious bigot who tries to force his beliefs on other people. He assaulted a 72-year-old man. He pushed him to the ground twice. That is assault and that is against the law. Maybe he'll learn to keep his hands to himself", wrote another Twitter user.
According to Fox News, Houck's wife said would often take their 12-year-old son along with him when he goes to the the abortion clinics as part of his pro-life campaign. She said Houck shoved a man who had come into the personal space of their son and spoke obscenities.
She also said the man Houck is accused of shoving had tried to sue the pro-life activist earlier but that the District Court in Philadelphia had thrown out the case.
