DULUTH - Duluth police arrested a 25-year-old woman Tuesday after she allegedly brandished a knife and threatened two anti-abortion demonstrators outside the Building for Women, 32 E. First St.
The incident occurred at 7:47 a.m., according to demonstrators, who said the suspect was on her way into the building and exchanged words with them before pulling a knife. The suspect reportedly held the knife to the neck of one demonstrator and told her to stop speaking. When the second demonstrator reportedly went to help the first, the suspect allegedly threatened her with the knife as well.
Neither demonstrator was injured, and the suspect reportedly entered the building.
Duluth Police arrested the suspect inside and said they found a knife in her purse. She was taken into custody and sent to the St. Louis County Jail, where she is being held pending charges of second-degree assault.
Police spokesman Brad Wick said it's not known what brought the suspect to the Building for Women. He did say there were witnesses to the knife incident who were able to identify the suspect.
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"We abhor violence of any kind," said Laurie Casey, executive director of the Women's Health Center of Duluth, a tenant in the building, and a provider of abortion services for patients from Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Canada.
"We regret that this incident occurred," she said. "It's a very isolated and rare event for there to be any trouble out there on the street."
The Women's Health Center has operated out of the Building for Women since 1994 without previous incident, Casey said.
Anti-abortion demonstrators have been a common sight outside the building, but Casey said, "We respect others' right to picket. Abortion is a very emotional issue."
Wick confirmed that there have been no serious confrontations in front of the Building for Women in recent years.
