Pro-Life Advocates Arrested at Notre Dame Protesting Pro-Abortion Obama Visit
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 15, 2009
South Bend, IN (LifeNews.com) — With just two days left before pro-abortion President Barack Obama gives the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, a group of 20 pro-life advocates were arrested. Alan Keyes, two Catholic priests and about two dozen supporters were arrested for walking onto the Notre Dame campus.
According to pro-life activist Randall Terry, the group of pro-life advocates were arrested for disobeyed an order not to trespass on the Notre Dame grounds.
They had been asked to keep their protests outside the campus grounds, as many other pro-life advocates are doing.
In an email to LifeNews.com Terry said he was disappointed that bail was not set for Keyes, a former presidential candidate.
"The authorities have suddenly – without legal right – decided to not set bail for Dr. Keyes, and anyone else who was arrested last Friday," he said.
There were about 35 people standing outside the main gates to the campus praying and holding signs when Terry, Keyes and a group of people approached. A smaller group walked onto the campus and they made it about 100 yards before they were arrested.
Vision America president Rick Scarborough was on hand when the arrests were made and he wished police had been more respectful.
"I wept when I saw my friends arrested and taken to jail," Scarborough told LifeNews.com. "They almost broke the arm of a priest who appeared to be in his 80s, by dragging him on the ground."
Scarborough, who’s a Southern Baptist preacher, said he was in South Bend in solidarity with Catholics who are protesting Obama’s appearance at the Catholic university.
"Notre Dame is honoring Barack Obama, a man Catholics and other Christians should shun, as many of the Catholic bishops have," he said.
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
