An anti-abortion group demonstrating on the Boca campus was met with FAU student protesters Tuesday.

The Canadian Center for Bioethical Reform presented their anti-abortion message on the Free Speech Lawn with graphic images of aborted fetuses. Signs were posted around the Social Science building to warn students of the shocking images on display. 

“We believe in human rights for every member of the human family. Abortion decapitates, dismembers, and disembowels pre-born children and is a human rights violation,” Devorah Gilman said, a representative handing out flyers.

The FAU Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) held a silent protest a few feet away from the anti-abortion protesters. They arrived at 2 p.m. to promote women’s rights over their bodies. 

“Our nation is founded on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How is a woman supposed to live her life and pursue happiness if she doesn’t have liberty over her reproductive choices,” Dave Maxwell said, YDSA vice president. 

The YDSA protesters held signs, ignored the demonstrators, and handed out roses to students who approached them.

Many images displayed by the anti-abortion group compared abortion to genocide, which offended some students.

“I think it’s despicable especially because they’re putting up pictures of the Holocaust,” pre-law major Serena McGann said. “I know people who are Holocaust survivors and the fact that they’re comparing the suffering of Holocaust survivors to abortion is disgusting.”

Another student also expressed his discomfort with the photos displayed around the Free Speech Lawn. He said it weakened the message of the anti-abortion organization.

“I think they’re going about it the wrong way because they are not getting students to agree with them. It seems like they are forcing it in people’s faces,” freshman business major Jacob said, who requested his last name be omitted to keep his personal views private.

Gilman said that the images are the best way to make students change their mind about supporting abortion rights.

“We hope that students leave supporting human rights for every member of the human family and would understand that abortion is an act of violence that ends the life of the child.”

The group visits the Boca campus on an annual basis.

Carly Russo is a contributing writer with the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].