Pro-life students at Saint Louis University watched as abortion activists repeatedly destroyed their Cemetery of the Innocents display this week, with one young woman telling them, “I’ll f—— keep killing babies.”
The SLU Students for Life club set up the display Monday morning on the Missouri campus, arranging 1,000 pink flags in the shape of a cross to represent the 800,000 unborn babies who were killed in abortions last year in the United States, Fox News reports.
Isabelle Hotard, president of the pro-life club, said they expected some hostility but not nearly as much as they witnessed this week. She said they had permission from the university to set up the display.
“Within a few hours of it going up, we walked by and someone had torn down the signs we had up alongside it,” Hotard told KMOV 4.
She said the display was vandalized three times Monday alone.
Then, on Wednesday, club member Nick Baker said he saw another student trying to destroy their display. Baker began filming as the student hurled insults at him. He later posted the video on Twitter.
“You’re a disgusting misogynist, and karma is going to f—— get you,” the female student said. “You’ll see that when you die, and hopefully you f—— go to hell.”
She continued: “You can see my pictures, you can see how pretty I am, how good of a life I have. And what do you have? You’re a f—— loser. You just really enjoy your life, cause I’ll enjoy mine. And I’ll f—— keep killing babies.”
Other videos taken by the pro-life students showed more acts of vandalism, with individuals stamping on the flags and pulling them out of the ground. In one video, an individual called a pro-life student a “little b—-” and another told them to “go to hell.” The Students for Life members could be heard in the videos calmly asking the students to stop vandalizing their display and later calling campus security when they refused to stop.
In a statement, the university said it is investigating the matter.
“The University takes seriously any alleged violation of our Community Standards, and has policies and processes in place to address concerns when they are reported,” the statement read.
Hotard said she feels heartbroken by the hostility.
“I was very surprised how emboldened people are to trample on other people’s stuff …” she told the local news. “And it’s kind of heartbreaking to see people believe that about us, because that’s not what we’re trying to do at all.”
Lucy Gonzales, who graduated from the university and now works as the Students For Life regional coordinator for Missouri and Arkansas, said pro-life clubs frequently are targets of vandalism and harassment.
“Something happened every year I was in school here with this display,” Gonzales said. “This group is used to the harassment.”
She urged the university to take action.
Threats, vandalism, harassment, violence and other incidents targeting pro-lifers have been growing in recent years. Catholic Churches also have reported an increase in vandalism and other crimes related to their pro-life stance.
LifeNews has been keeping track of these incidents. Reports this year include:
Ohio – Pro-Life Student Display Vandalized Again at Xavier College (Xavier Newswire)
Bolivia – Church Vandalized after Being Falsely Accused of Intervening to Prevent Pregnant 11-Year-Old from Getting an Abortion (National Catholic Register)
Ohio – Pro-Life Display Defaced on Xavier College Campus (Xavier Newswire)
Austria – Police Block Aggressive Pro-Abortion Protesters, Protect Pro-Lifers at Vienna March for Life (Live Action News)
Maryland – Police Intervene after University of Maryland Student Knocks Down Pro-Life Group’s Signs (The Diamondback)
Florida – Man Arrested for Allegedly Threatening to Shoot Pro-Life Congressman, His Children (Politico)
New Hampshire – Pro-Abortion Students Vandalize, Destroy College Republicans’ Pro-Life Signs (Campus Reform)
Massachusetts – Abortion Activists Vandalize Pro-Life Signs, Threaten Violence, Call Pro-Life Leader “Anti-Woman Pig” (Townhall)
USA – Pro-Life Society of St. Sebastian Website Hacked
England – Exeter University Pro-Life Student Society Receives Death Threats (Devon Live)
Pennsylvania – Pro-Abortion Protesters Bang on Pregnancy Center Windows, Block Door with Sign (Choose Life Marketing)
England – Pro-Life Politician David Amess Brutally Stabbed to Death at Local Church
England – Abortion Activists Destroy Student Pro-Life Display at Oxford University Fair (Cherwell) (The Telegraph)
Colorado – Leftist Vandals Attack Catholic Church Again, Write “Satan Lives Here” on the Church Doors
USA – Pro-Lifers Assaulted, Pregnant Woman Shoved to the Ground at Women’s Marches (Students for Life)
Texas – Abortion Activists Hack, Vandalize Texas Republican Party Website in Response to Pro-Life Law (Snopes)
Iowa – Abortion Activist Vandalizes Pro-Life Sign, Accosts Pro-Life Student (Campus Reform)
California – Pepperdine University students vandalize pro-life display, rip down crosses (Fox News)
Colorado – Abortion Activists Vandalize Churches After Texas Bans Abortion, Smashing Windows and Slashing Tires
Texas – Abortion Activists Assaults, Throws Cup Full of Liquid at Pro-Life Advocate at Houston Pro-Life Rally (TFP Student Action)
Ohio – Police Remove Screaming Pro-Abortion Protesters from State Senate Chamber (FOX 55/AP)
Switzerland – Three Pro-Life Organizations Vandalized with Pro-Abortion Graffiti ahead of National Pro-Life March (Evangelical Focus Europe)
Mexico – Radical Feminists Injure 37 People in Violent Pro-Abortion Protest
Texas – Abortion Activist Threatens to Kill Pro-Life Lawmakers who Voted for Texas Abortion Ban
Texas – Pro-Life Leader Gets Death Threat after Planned Parenthood Doxxing
Texas – Texas Right to Life Evacuated due to Bomb Threat, Terrorist Threat
California – Eggs Thrown at Pro-Life Candidate Larry Elder, Staffer Hit in Face (Fox News)
Oregon – Antifa Activist Charged After Assaulting Female Officer Protecting Pro-Life People
Colorado – Vandals Deface Boulder County Catholic Church with Pro-Abortion Graffiti (Washington Times)
Texas – Abortion Activists Spam Pro-Life Group’s Website with Porn (Mic)
New York – Police Arrest Two Abortion Activists for Allegedly Blocking Pro-Life Prayer Rally (National Review)
Connecticut – Pro-Life Billboard in Barkhamsted Vandalized with “Get an Abortion” and Coat Hangers (ProLife Across America)
Poland – Pro-Life Billboard Showing Abortion Victims Gets Vandalized about Once a Week (The Calvert Journal)
Arizona – Students for Life: Planned Parenthood Volunteers Steal Pro-Life Students’ Bags (Students for Life blog)
Oregon – Antifa Tries to Disrupt Pro-Life Prayer Group with Violence outside Planned Parenthood (Citizen Stringer), Andy Ngo (video, video, video)
Oregon – Antifa Terrorists Attack Christians Who Were Praying in a Public Park
Texas – Pro-Life Billboard Removed After One Day Because of Death Threats From Abortion Activists (FaithWire)
Ohio – Campus Police Shut Down Mason City Council Meeting after Abortion Activists Heckle, Try to Silence Pro-Lifers (video)
Wyoming – Pro-Life Billboard Vandalized with “F— the Babies,” Devil Horns
Arkansas – Abortion Activists Desecrate Statue of Jesus, Hang “God Bless Abortions” Banner
Canada – Pro-Life Memorial Broken in Spate of Vandalism Targeting Catholic Churches (Catholic News Agency)
New York – Police Protect Peaceful Pro-Life Advocates after Pro-Abortion Protesters Block Prayer Walk, Abortion Activists Surround, Intimidate Priest Praying the Rosary (National Review)
Maine – Driver Crashes Her Car into Pro-Lifer’s Van After Yelling at Pro-Life Protesters, Flipping Them Off
Northern Ireland – Abortion Activist Assaults Pro-Life Christian Helping Women Outside Abortion Clinic
South Carolina – Antifa Radicals Vandalize Pro-Life Congresswoman Nancy Mace’s Home
Kentucky – Liberal Media Ignores Death Threat against Pro-Life U.S. Sen. Rand Paul
Indiana – Abortion Activist Almost Runs Over Pro-Life Congresswoman Praying Outside Abortion Center
Illinois – Authorities: Fire at Peoria Pro-Life Pregnancy Center Was Intentionally Set (NPR Illinois State University)
Colombia – Moms Slam Abortion Activists who Vandalized Pregnancy Center: My Child’s Life is a Blessing
Texas – Pro-Life Aggies’ Sign Ripped Down, Replaced with Signs Advertising Planned Parenthood (National Right to Life News)
Canada – Church Pro-Life Billboard Vandalized Twice near Vancouver (The B.C. Catholic)
Texas – Conservative Student Group’s Pro-Life Display Vandalized with Pro-Abortion Slogans (KVUE)
Mississippi – Abortion Activists Vandalize Christian Billboard to Promote Abortions
Colombia – Feminists Attack Church to Protest for Abortion, Spray-paint “Rapists” on Church Walls
Mexico – Violent Feminists in Mexico Terrorize Legislators, Threaten Them if They Don’t Vote to Legalize Abortions
Washington, D.C. – Man Threatens to Shoot Pro-Life Sidewalk Counselors (Students for Life)
Argentina – Female Judge Receives Multiple Death Threats after Blocking Pro-Abortion Law (Crux)
Poland – Abortion Activists Arrested during Protest against Ban on Aborting Unborn Babies with Disabilities (The Guardian)
Ohio – Abortion Activists Attack a Church, Disrupt Its Pro-Life Service to Mourn Babies Killed in Abortions
Missouri – Antifa Radicals Attack Pro-Life Senator Josh Hawley’s Home, Threaten His Wife, Newborn Baby
