Calvin Zastrow, a 57-year-old pro-life Christian, has been ordered to report to the Federal Correctional Institute Thomson in Illinois on October 15 to begin serving his six-month sentence for participating in a peaceful pro-life protest at a Tennessee abortion facility. The Thomson prison has a reputation for violence and abuse, including multiple homicides, suicides, and sexual misconduct cases in recent years.
Zastrow was convicted of conspiracy against rights and violating the FACE Act after a 2021 protest where he and other pro-lifers prayed and sang hymns at an abortion clinic. He hopes to get a stay of sentence while appealing his conviction, but for now, he is spending time with his family and raising awareness about other pro-life prisoners, including Heather Idoni, sentenced to two years for a protest in Washington, D.C. Zastrow also faces a civil lawsuit from the DOJ, accusing him of attempting to block access to a Planned Parenthood in Florida.
Zastrow believes the government’s goal is to silence pro-life voices, stating, “They’re going to make an example of us.” He previously rejected a settlement offer from the DOJ, continuing to protest what he calls “baby murdering” and “lawless tyranny.”
