Bama Students for Life, a University of Alabama student group, has accused the school for violating their first amendment rights after an anti-abortion poster was removed from a center. Members of the group have asked the director of the Ferguson Student Center to apologise and display the poster for another month.
The pro-life display aimed at commemorating the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, featured images of aborted foetuses, women who have died during abortions, abortion doctors, and facts about abortion.
Students belonging to the group said that they were allowed to exhibit the poster at the Center until Feb. 7, but it was taken off two days early.
A school administrator said that the anti-abortion poster was removed without informing the group following numerous complaints. Some students found the poster to be 'offensive.'
The official also said that offensive materials are not tolerated on campus. Student disagreed with the administrator's opinion and said that the school authorities discriminated against the group and attacked their freedom of speech on campus.
Claire Chretien, President of Bama Students for Life, said that the group has every right to make people aware about the abortion's harmful effects on the humans.
"Our group was absolutely offended that we would be censored in that way. We have a right to free speech and that right was taken because someone felt it was offensive. Who decides what is and what isn't offensive," said member Amy Hase, abc reports.
The group further said that the center allowed other poster to be displayed that would normally be deemed 'offensive' of 'graphic' including male full frontal nudity, blood stained glass superimposed over a picture of a bride and groom and the consequences of sex among others, Live Action News reports.
Commenting on the students' accusations of illegal censorship, the University said that the school "respects our students First Amendment rights to express their opinions. As a result of this incident we are reviewing our guidelines for the display boards in the student center."
In January, Students for Life of America named Bama Students for Life as the Group of the Year for their commitment towards spreading awareness regarding abortion and saving lives.
"Universities are supposed to be the marketplace of ideas, not arenas for censoring particular viewpoints just because someone feels offended. We support Bama Students for Life and look forward to continuing to working with them to ensure that their constitutional freedoms are protected," Matt Sharp, Legal Counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom said in a statement.
