The College Fix

University says club violated policy, didn’t request permission for speaking event

Students at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro threw what looked like blood-covered baby dolls and threatened to light a display table on fire during a recent pro-life event.

The hostility occurred during a stop on Students for Life of America spokeswoman Lydia Taylor’s “Not Your Body, Not Your Choice” speaking tour earlier this month at the public university, according to the organization’s blog.

However, a university spokesperson said it was not a fully-approved event.

Taylor told The College Fix in an emailed statement Students for Life maintained close contact with campus police about the threats, and two officers provided security at the April 11 event.

She told The Fix the police were shown “the bloody baby models” but the officers said “it was not enough evidence to prove a threat.”

“After receiving countless threats to burn my table, commit suicide in front of me, and throw stink bombs at my event, abortion zealots filed right into my speech,” Taylor said on the blog.

While she was speaking, Taylor said students threw “bloody baby dolls” and made rude comments.

“While I debated pro-abortion students, two of them stuck baby dolls in a sexual position on some of the chairs and threw bloody ones on the ground on their way out,” she said.

Afterward, Taylor said one officer escorted them to the parking garage and left while they were loading equipment into the van. When she went to her own car, she said she noticed pins placed under the tires.

“Since there was no actual damage or witnesses to someone putting it there, we just moved it and left without any other incidences occurring,” she told The Fix. “While I’m always disappointed by pro-abortion threats and unhinged behavior, I’m unfortunately never surprised.”

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Taylor said the goal of her speaking tour was to expose how abortion is “violence” promoted under the guise of “women’s rights” and “bodily autonomy.”

“[B]ut we know the truth: abortion does not empower women, it kills preborn women in the womb,” she said.

When asked about the incident, a UNC Greensboro spokesperson told The Fix the speaking event was not approved by the university.

“The University had no prior knowledge of the speaker’s event nor of the allegations cited in the blog,” Kimberly Osborne, interim vice chancellor for strategic communications, told The Fix in an email.

Osborne said the student pro-life group violated university procedures by failing to submit a speaking event request at least 30 days prior to the date. She said the requirement ensures “student groups at UNCG are able to plan and implement safe and successful programs.”

“The student contact for Students for Life at UNCG confirmed that there was no lecture to take place at their approved tabling event which was held on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Due to the violation of University procedures, the group has received a warning,” she said.

However, Students for Life spokesperson Jordan Estabrook told The Fix, “We complied with the regulations we were aware of and what we had done in the past,” and “we’re looking into this further.”

Estabrook also shared a confirmation email from the university to the pro-life student who booked the event, including the time and the room number.

“It’s not uncommon for us to experience pushback,” Estabrook said, adding “free speech violations” against pro-life campus groups have increased rapidly in recent years.

Last year, pro-abortion activists also disrupted a speech by Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins at Virginia Commonwealth University, The Fix reported at the time. Two individuals charged in the incident had to serve community service.

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IMAGE: Students for Life of America blog

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