By Kathleen Gilbert

ARLINGTON, Virginia, October 5, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An American organization of pro-life students has expressed solidarity with a group of Canadian students arrested Monday morning for setting up a display against abortion on the campus of Carleton University in Ottawa.

Ruth Lobo, James Shaw, Nicholas MacLeod, and Craig Stewart were joined by Zuza Kurzawa from Queen’s University in Ontario. All five were taken into custody by police for setting up a Genocide Awareness Project display on the Tory Quad.

The school had forbidden the group from displaying the images in the public area, allowing them to use only an out-of-the-way location, despite warnings from the students’ lawyer that they were infringing on the group’s freedom of speech. The students were handcuffed, charged with trespassing, fined, and released later that day. (see coverage here)

Kristan Hawkins, head of Students for Life of America, told LifeSiteNews.com Tuesday that “pro-life students across the world stand in solidarity with” the arrestees.

“Yesterday, the Canadian government showed once again that it does not respect freedom of speech, freedom of expression or the sanctity of human life,” stated Hawkins. “Pro-life students should have the right to speak out on their own campus, particularly when that campus is publicly funded.”

Hawkins praised the four pro-life students arrested at Carleton, saying they “showed exemplary faith and courage in the face of discrimination.”

“By silencing these students, Carleton University actually helped advance the pro-life message,” she said. “The controversy surrounding this incident will help educate thousands of Canadian students.”

Contact information:

Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and Vice-Chancellor
503 Tory Building
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
Tel: 613 520-3801
Fax: 613 520-4474
Email: [email protected]