video shared on Instagram A woman named Bevelin Williams claims she was arrested for praying in front of an abortion clinic.
Verdict: False
Williams was arrested on suspicion of physically interfering with access to the clinic, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
Fact check:
A 66-year-old Texas woman has been charged with assaulting and threatening to kill a judge who blocked the approval of abortion pills. Reuters. The case took place in a Texas court in April 2023, and the woman is scheduled to be arraigned in Amarillo, Texas, on November 4, the newspaper reported.
Williams was arrested for praying in front of an abortion clinic, according to an Instagram post. The video shows an image of a woman with her hand on her chin and Vice President Kamala Harris narrating the claim.
“Beveryn Williams turned herself in to serve a three-and-a-half year sentence in federal prison. Praying in front of an abortion factory as part of a protest was her crime. I’m charging you with a crime of assembly,” the caption reads in part.
That claim is inaccurate. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release Dr. Williams reports that he was sentenced to 41 months in prison for violating the Freedom of Clinic Admissions Act for obstructing patient and staff access to his clinic.
“Beverine Beatty Williams repeatedly threatened and obstructed individuals seeking and providing critical reproductive health services. She physically blocked access to clinics, threatened staff, and used force “I did so,” it says in part. The press release does not mention her prayers. (Related: Walz claims President Trump wants a nationwide abortion ban)
Williams, a Tennessee native, organized a protest at a Manhattan family planning clinic in June 2020 and was injured when a staff member slammed the door shut on her. Associated Press. “We’re going to terrorize this place,” she said during a livestream during the protest, according to the paper.
Check Your Fact has reached out to a Department of Justice spokesperson for comment.
