Abortion protestors attacked a pro-life event at Virginia Commonwealth University featuring Students for Life of America President Kristen Hawkins and Turning Point USA contributor Isabel Brown. The university eventually removed the speakers from the room, leading Brown to say, “Why the violent protesters weren’t removed, but two pro-life women were, still baffles me.”
Hawkins and Brown were speaking at Virginia Commonwealth University for a Wednesday event titled, “Lies Pro-Choicers Believe,” when leftist students and other protestors — who Students for Life of America says were Antifa members — hijacked the event.
Video footage from the event surfaced on social media. In one clip, protestors could be seen interrupting the speaking engagement as they repeatedly chanted, “Fuck pro-lifers!”
Watch Below:
We came to @VCU, a public university to speak about abortion and we were assaulted. VCU you should be ashamed of yourselves for allowing this and shutting down any freedom of thought or speech at your university. pic.twitter.com/UCp4LpHNmS
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) March 29, 2023
“We came to @VCU, a public university to speak about abortion and we were assaulted,” Hawkins said. “VCU you should be ashamed of yourselves for allowing this and shutting down any freedom of thought or speech at your university.”
Watch Below:
This is what happens when our nation glorifies harmful ideologies, refuses to prosecute evil-doers, and closes down open discussion. Antifa (so basically fascists) tried to silence us with their assaults @VCU. pic.twitter.com/XXsGRlcW6n
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) March 29, 2023
“This is what happens when our nation glorifies harmful ideologies, refuses to prosecute evil-doers, and closes down open discussion. Antifa (so basically fascists) tried to silence us with their assaults,” Hawkins tweeted.
Another video posted by Students for Life of America showed protestors also chanting, “Fascists go home!” to which Hawkins reacted by asking the protestors, “Would you like to Google the word ‘fascist’?”
Watch Below:
UPDATE: Despite this unfortunate situation, we will not be deterred. The Pro-Life Generation has come to expect these sort of things and we will be back to attempt what we tried to attempt this evening, a productive, peaceful conversation. pic.twitter.com/NRWni6Hhiu
— Students for Life of America (@StudentsforLife) March 30, 2023
“You won’t even let me answer her questions, would you like me to answer the question?” Hawkins could be heard saying to the protestors, to which they replied by screaming in unison, “No!”
Hawkins could also be heard saying to a member of VCU security, “I thought VCU rules were that you can’t disrupt a peaceful gathering, and no one is doing anything.”
“They’re assaulting her!” someone could be heard exclaiming in the video, which was followed with footage of a physical scuffle between protestors and what appeared to be members of security or faculty.
Then, a man could be heard screaming, “Hey! Listen up! Calm down! Everybody get the fuck out of here!” to which the protestors responded by screaming in unison, “You leave first!”
“They’re temporarily removing us from the room, instead of kicking out the protestors,” Brown said as protestors continued to yell in the background.
Hawkins added that “campus police at VCU is shutting down our peaceful assembly because of these fascists right here. So they’re going to let these big crybabies, these fascists, get their way.”
“Tonight at @VCU, @KristanHawkins and I were removed by campus police from our @StudentsforLife speaking event after Antifa began throwing punches at pro-life students and screamed ‘GET OUT NAZI FASCISTS’ for about an hour,” Brown revealed on Twitter.
“Why the violent protesters weren’t removed, but two pro-life women were, still baffles me,” she added.
Tonight at @VCU, @KristanHawkins and I were removed by campus police from our @StudentsforLife speaking event after Antifa began throwing punches at pro-life students and screamed “GET OUT NAZI FASCISTS” for about an hour.
Why the violent protesters weren’t removed, but two…
— Isabel Brown (@theisabelb) March 30, 2023
Two individuals were arrested after disrupting the pro-life event, but they reportedly do not have any association with the university.
Natalie Hoskins III, 22, and Anthony Marvin, 30 were arrested at the event. Hoskins was charged with simple assault, and Marvin charged with disorderly conduct, according to a report by WRIC.
Students for Life of America leaders identified some of the protesters as Antifa members based on their signage and attire. They also pointed out social media posts directing VCU students to a “counter demonstration” by members of the Young Democratic Socialists of America group.
A post advertising for the protest of the pro-life event was shared to Twitter by a user named Goad Gatsby.
Tomorrow at VCU will be an event featuring Kristan Hawkins, the President of Students For Life. They are a large anti-abortion group. The YDSA at will hold a counter demonstration against them. pic.twitter.com/77DlWRP5jh
— Goad Gatsby (@GoadGatsby) March 28, 2023
Goad Gatsby’s real name is Kristopher Goad, and he is listed as having Antifa ties, according to a report by Fox News. Goad told the outlet that he was not promoting the event or the protest, and claimed he was just there to cover the event as a journalist.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.