CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – More than 330 small wooden crosses that were a part of the Clarion University Students for Life Cemetery of the Innocents display were vandalized late Sunday night.
(Photos courtesy LifeNews.com)
The crosses, which are placed in the Gemmell free speech zone on campus each year to represent the number of abortions occurring that year, were uprooted, drawn on, and placed in garbage bins, said University Officials.
Messages written on some of the crosses include “Would you support if this life was gay?” and “Would you support if this life were trans?”
According to an email statement released by university president Karen Whitney, a suspect – who has been identified as a Clarion University student – has come forward accepting responsibility and will now “be meeting with appropriate individuals.”
“Clarion University clearly affirms the rights of our students to express themselves according to campus policy. At the same time, we expect others to respect those displays. It is unfortunate that someone made a decision not to respect that process,” continued the statement.
Todd Garrett, a senior at Clarion University and Vice President of the SFL chapter, said in a statement that the group has filed a complaint with Campus Police and will be deciding whether or not to take the issue to the university’s Judicial Conduct Board.
Hours after they discovered the act of vandalism, members of the university’s SFL chapter reconstructed the display on campus with help from members of the Clarion VDay Project.
“A few of their members helped SFL put the crosses back up when we did it at noon. I think after some discussions that SFL and VDay had we will be able to foster a new collaborative relationship,” said Garrett.
According to LifeNews.com, this incident isn’t the first time the Students for Life display has been vandalized. In 2011 vandals allegedly pulled 350 crosses from the ground and re-inserted them upside down. Red paint was also allegedly splattered on the crosses and signs.
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