Gender Justice responds to the assassination of Rep. Melissa Hortman and anti-abortion domestic terrorism in Minnesota

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2025

CONTACT
Noah Parrish, Communications Director
[email protected]
651.432.0171

In light of reports that the individual responsible for Saturday’s assassination and attempted murder left behind an anti-abortion manifesto, a hit list of over 70 abortion providers, lawmakers, and reproductive rights advocates, and espoused extremist evangelical views, Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice, issued the following statement:

“We are devastated by the loss of Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman—a principled, passionate, and powerful leader whose fierce advocacy helped shape a Minnesota where reproductive freedom, gender equity, and LGBTQ+ rights are respected and protected.

We also mourn the brutal murder of her husband, Mark, and the unimaginable grief now facing their loved ones and our entire state. We are holding in our hearts Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who were also targeted in this attack, as they begin the journey to heal from this trauma.

This was not a random act of violence. It was a deliberate, politically motivated act of domestic terrorism, targeting those who have stood unapologetically for bodily autonomy and human rights. It was carried out by an individual who reportedly embraced anti-abortion extremism, evangelical fervor, and white Christian nationalist ideology—a toxic combination that has fueled rising attacks on bodily autonomy, LGBTQ+ rights, and democracy itself.

Speaker Emeritus Hortman was a champion. We honor her legacy by refusing to be silent, and by continuing the fight she championed so powerfully—for a future where everyone can live with freedom, safety, and dignity.”