Pro-Abortion Vandals Arrested, Destroyed Pro-Life Display

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Oct 4, 2011   |   12:03PM   |   Buffalo, NY

A pro-life display at the University of Buffalo has been destroyed by pro-abortion vandals for the second time this year — but, this time, two of the vandals involved have been arrested.

In May, the University of Buffalo Students for Life (UBSFL) group saw its pro-life display vandalized as pro-abortion vandals viciously attacked one of the group’s first events, their Cemetery of the Innocents Display featuring crosses meant to memorialize the 53 million unborn children who have been killed in abortions.

Now, Phil Eddy, a regional coordinator for Students for Life of America, indicates the pro-life student group’s display was torn down again.

“Sara Buttitta, president of University of Buffalo Students for Life, informed me that the Cemetery of the Innocents display they had put up Sunday evening, memorializing the innocent lives lost to abortion, was completely torn up by four unknown saboteurs,” he said. “A blurry campus surveillance video showed four individuals methodically ripping up each and every cross and sign making up the display, and disposing of them in trash bags.  The campus police were able to recover the bags, and Sara let me know that they would defiantly return later in the day to set them up again.”

“Flash forward a few hours, and I get another text from her, letting me know that a student had been arrested after he was allegedly observed kicking the display.  Not too long after that, Sara reached out to me again, informing me that another student – this time a female – had been arrested after allegedly ripping up crosses,” Eddy continues.

Eddy says pro-life advocates are shocked that one of the campus police officers indicated one of the students arrested may be charged with a hate crime for attacking the pro-life display.

“If that is true, then this would be the first time – that I’m aware of – in which students would be charged with committing a hate crime for vandalizing a pro-life display,” he said.

Buttitta said she is happy with the way University of Buffalo police responded to the vandalism.

“We are grateful for the swift and professional manner in which the campus police have acted, and are thankful for the support UB has given us this semester.  Our university should be a place where ideas can be shared and debated without the threat of violent acts, but it appears some people are just too blinded by hate to let that happen,” she said. “Our actions are peaceful and our cause is just; no amount of harassment, violent intimidation, or hate will stop us from promoting the cause of life.”

Eddy says attacks on pro-life displays and discrimination against pro-life student groups is commonplace.

“However, this is sadly not the first time that a series of vandals have acted in a hateful manner towards the pro-life students at University of Buffalo.  A Cemetery of the Innocents display was erected last spring and was hit with not one, not two, but THREE acts of vandalism,” he said. “And let’s not forget the fact that before that, the UB Student Government Association acted in a manner that suggested they were actively trying to sabotage the group.”

“This is also not the first campus to have their pro-life display vandalized.  Numerous pro-life student groups have seen their displays attacked by fellow students – like this video at a Wisconsin university shows – and in at least one case, a professor encouraged AND participated in the vandalism with several of her students,” Eddy continued.