No students protested during Created Equal’s last day on campus Wednesday.
The anti-abortion group displayed graphic images of abortions during its second day on the Plaza of the Americas and Turlington Plaza.
Grant Schwab, a UF political science senior, was planning a counterprotest of the groups’ images but couldn’t attend due to the last-minute Bernie Sanders rally today.
He said without him organizing the protest, not many showed up.
“To my knowledge, a couple people might have came, but didn’t stay for more than five minutes,” the 21-year-old said.
He said he expected 15 to 30 people to silently protest the group.
“In the grand plan, I think the event fell through for something more important,” he said. “If one thing’s going to fall by the wayside, I’m not going to let it be Bernie.”
Mark Harrington, the national director of Created Equal, said he didn’t see counterprotesters.
“Nobody with signs that I can tell,” he said. “We want the students to get up and protest and have their voices heard. We’re for that.”
Harrington said the group uses the photos because abortions are graphic, but he would not reveal the photographer’s identity.
“I’m not going to disclose how we go about getting our photos; that’s confidential,” he said.
“That would jeopardize us being able to get any future photos,” he said.
Emily Davidson, a UF economics senior, said Wednesday was the first time in four years she walked through the group’s signs.
“I think it’s disgusting,” the 21-year-old said. “I have to walk around this every single year.”
She said the pictures were too gruesome.
“Of course free speech is a thing,” she said. “On a college campus, I just think it’s a little intrusive.”
Kaleigh Clarke, a 21-year-old UF psychology senior, said while she’s personally against abortions, she disagrees with Created Equal.
“I’m pro-life, but I think that these signs are a bit much,” she said. “I feel it could be heartbreaking for anyone who’s been affected by abortion.”
She said more focus should be placed on education and options for adoption.
“I would encourage my friends to choose adoptions over abortion because I do believe that’s killing a human being,” she said.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @k_newberg.
