Michigan Man Charged After Allegedly Setting Fire To Health Clinic

A Michigan man was arrested and charged Wednesday (August 3) after allegedly setting fire to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Kalamazoo, according to CBS Detroit.

25-year-old Joshua Brereton of Paw Paw was charged in federal court with committing arson at an organization that receives government money. The fire was set on Sunday with fuel and a fireplace starter log at the Planned Parented in Kalamazoo, which was not open at the time, according to a court filing. The fire mostly damaged the exterior of the building.

Agents received a tip about Brereton and reviewed surveillance video from the building. In the video, they saw Brereton breaching the fence surrounding the building, use combustible fuel to ignite bushes around the outside of the building, and then light a fireplace starter log and throw the burning log onto the building's roof before fleeing the scene, according to FOX News.

In addition, agents reviewed videos Brereton had posted online, in which he describes abortion as "genocide." In one of the videos, Brereton said (via CBS Detroit), "Right now we have a genocide happening, genocide of babies... Read a science book. It’s not a religious debate. It’s not a political debate."

Brereton is currently in custody awaiting a court hearing today (August 5). An attorney was not listed in the court filing.