A Bethlehem area abortion clinic says three protesters have threatened, harassed and insulted employees; blocked access for patients; and blocked escorts from accompanying patients into the clinic.

For those reasons, the Allentown Women’s Center wants a judge to force three protesters to remain at least 25 feet away from the entrance driveway.

The lawsuit and injunction petition were filed April 11 in federal court on behalf of the clinic on South Commerce Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

It says John Dunkle, Anthony J. Sulpizio and Mark Michael Bogunovich failed to adhere to the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act several times in recent years.

Sulpizio allegedly used gay slurs against clinic staff and called them “baby killers.” He allegedly asked a clinic doctor in November 2018, “You know you’re going to hell, right?” He allegedly compared the doctor to Kermit Gosnell, an abortion doctor who was convicted of murder. He’s also accused of asking the doctor, “Are your children proud of their father for killing all those babies?” the lawsuit says.

In January he told a patient’s escort, “Your parents should have killed you.”

Dunkle allegedly trespassed at the clinic 15 times on Feb. 23, 2019. Supizio is accused of holding a clipboard and posing as a clinic staffer in order to confront patients as they drove into the parking lot. The lawsuit says he has prevented escorts from greeting patients and accompanying them into the clinic.

It says he and Bogunovich blocked the clinic driveway to multiple visitors on Nov. 30, 2018.

The lawsuit says Sulpizio’s “harassing, obstructive and hazardous conduct is escalating,” and employees and patients fear he will harm them. An escort felt threatened by Bogunovich, the lawsuit says. Dunkle’s behavior is also described as escalating in the lawsuit.

The clinic has asked a federal judge to grant an injunction forcing the three men to stay at least 25 feet away from the driveway entrance.

None of the protesters has an address listed in the lawsuit. However summonses were served at the following addresses:

For Dunkle, at a home in the 200 block of Meadow Glen Lane in Cumuru Township, Berks County

For Sulpizio, at a home in the 2600 block of Parkside Drive in Moore Township.

For Bogunovich, at a home in the 1400 block of Briarwood Drive in Bethlehem Township.

Each was served with the lawsuit on April 22, court records say. There was no listed phone number for Sulpizio and Bogunovich. The number rang repeatedly at Dunkle’s home but no one answered.

The lawsuit was filed by Philadelphia attorneys David Samuel Cohen, Debra S. Friedman and Jason Cabrera along with Susan Frietsche, a Pittsburgh-based attorney with the Women’s Law Project.

John Dunkle's photo is among the photos of protestors hung up inside the Allentown Women's Center in 2009.lehighvalleylive.com file photo

The lawsuit says Dunkle has been “regularly engaging in obstructive, intimidating, hazardous, threatening and harassing activity” at the clinic since the 1990s. He’s linked with the anti-abortion group the Army of God, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit says Sulpizio’s activity at the local clinic dates back to at least 2011 and Bogunovich’s dates back to 2016.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.