Operation Rescue (formerly Operation Rescue West or California Operation Rescue) is an American anti-abortion organization. It describes itself on its webpage as "one of the leading Pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation." It engages in activities that it describes as "on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates." The organization originated in California and is now based in Kansas.
Operation Rescue West was founded by Operation Rescue's tactical director, Jeff White, as a branch of Randall Terry's original Operation Rescue organization. Under Jeff White, Operation Rescue West stayed true to the original intent of the Operation Rescue organization, maintaining its focus on abortion. White stepped down in 1999 following an $880,000 judgment against his organization for harassment and intimidation of Planned Parenthood staff and handed the organization over to the leadership of Troy Newman. In 2002, Newman moved the headquarters to Wichita, Kansas, to focus its efforts on late-term abortion provider George Tiller, who was assassinated in 2009.
After the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) bill was signed into law by then-president Bill Clinton, Operation Rescue West implemented new tactics that did not involve arrest.
Operation Rescue operates a fleet of what it refers to as “Truth Trucks”, large panel vehicles that bear images of aborted fetuses. These “Truth Trucks” travel around the nation showing what Operation Rescue describes as “grisly truth about abortion.”
The organization offers a $25,000 incentive for reports of criminal activity at abortion clinics which leads to a criminal conviction. Kim Nichols, a former employee at an abortion clinic, received the first award in 2011. She reported Rapin Osathanondh who performed an abortion resulting in the death of Laura Hope Smith, the daughter of Eileen Smith.
The Malachi Award is an annual award given for service to the pro-life movement. It is named after a fetus discovered outside of an abortion clinic in Texas. The name means "my messenger" and was given to the fetus by the executive secretary of New York Lambs of Christ.