Pro-Life Display Vandalized Twice on University of Miami Campus

A pro-life display at the University of Miami (UM) has been vandalized twice over the last several days. UM Respect Life students reportedly had their display items destroyed and thrown into a trash bin, and the pro-lifers themselves were excoriated by fellow students who told them they were trying to induce guilt in women who had abortions.

According to Students for Life in America (SFLA), UM Respect Life’s display signs were found on Wednesday morning–destroyed and dumped in a trash bin. The day before, fellow students called members of Respect Life sexist, said their purpose was to make women feel guilty about their abortions, and brought their complaints to the university president.

After rebuilding their display, members of UM Respect Life found it trashed once again on Thursday, and this time, their graduation cap cut-outs, representing the number of 2014 graduates who are missing because of abortion, were torn to pieces.

Though campus security reportedly refused to make any effort to protect the pro-life display, university administrators have assured members of Respect Life that the incident is under investigation and that their right to free speech will be respected and protected.

“It makes me sad that someone took the immature route and vandalized our display instead of contacting us to have a peaceful discussion,” said Adriana Lopez, president of UM Respect Life. “But this act of vandalism has a bright side; it has showed [sic] us that our display is getting people’s attention and making them think.”

In a similar incident last week, a pro-life display of the “Cemetery of the Innocents” was torn down and thrown into the trash at the University of Washington. The display, set up by the Students for Life (SFL) group on campus, was approved at the last minute by the administration. Students set up red flags as a memorial to victims of abortion. After leaving their display for a brief period of time, SFL members came back to find the whole display had disappeared. They discovered that most display items had been thrown into a trash bin.

“Abortion activists would rather shut down conversation than allow the truth of the pro-life position be heard on campus,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of SFLA. “They know that when students hear this message, hearts and minds will be changed.”

“And sadly, we know some of these hostile students are post-abortive and are turning to this behavior because they need others to see abortion as ‘okay’ in order for them to be ‘okay’ with their abortion,” Hawkins added. “Students for Life groups are often the only voice on campus telling her that abortion isn’t the way out, that there are options and people who care.”