Pro-abortion agitators violently disrupt Students for Life event at VCU as campus police watch

Pro-abortion students and possible Antifa members violently disrupted a Students for Life of America (SFLA) event at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA, on Wednesday night, causing a riot in the crowd which injured at least one pro-life student.

Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, and Turning Point USA contributor Isabel Brown, were at VCU as a scheduled stop on the organization’s “Lies Pro-Choicers Believe” tour. According to SFLA, it wasn’t the first time Antifa protested a Hawkins speaking event, but it was the most violent. Hawkins, expecting protesters, had security guards present. VCU SFLA students identified people they believed to be professional Antifa agitators in the room, as those individuals had been present at other pro-life events in the past to incite trouble.

SFLA executive vice president Tina Whittington was also at the event. He explained, “The protesters have three chants that they keep recycling, ‘Go home the Fascists;’ ‘Nazis come home;’ and ‘F**k Pro-lifers’. This is so ridiculous. That is the definition of fascism and Nazism — not allowing free speech. They didn’t allow other ideas to be expressed, and in a way, they won, even though pro-life students stayed to talk after the event.

Hawkins keeps her video camera on Instagram Live as the events unfold. Masked protesters held signs for Black Lives Matter and Transgender power, and according to the SFLA, the signs were used to attack people. Pro-life students and SFLA staff members were attacked while campus police stayed in the hallwayrefusing to stop the riot.

Autumn Walser, president of SFLA at VCU, and a fellow student were injured. In addition, Kevin Feliciano, who was recording the event for SFLA, was hit with signs as protesters attempted to stop him from recording their behavior. Complaints were filed and Hawkins said the SFLA would make sure Walser had security for as long as he needed.

While some students in attendance tried to question Hawkins, the protesters shouted and changed too loudly for a conversation to take place. A pro-choice student thanked Hawkins for coming to speak and said he was disappointed he wasn’t able to ask Hawkins any questions.

As campus police attempted to evict Hawkins and the pro-lifers, rather than the protesters, Hawkins told them, “You have to arrest me. I’m not leaving.”

At one point, a pro-life student appeared to be attacked by a crowd that was crowding and security personnel and City police stepped in to help as the crowd shouted, “I smell bacon!” in a crude reference to police officers as “pigs.” However, police detained SFLA team members and pro-life students, allowing violent and unruly protesters to walk free after destroying SFLA property and signs.

“The free speech rights of pro-life Americans and especially pro-life students are at stake,” Hawkins said after the event. “We cannot stop meeting for fear of opposition.”

SFLA is demanding that VCU invite Hawkins and Brown back to campus to conduct their planned presentation while ensuring that their rights to safety and free speech are protected.