Students interacting with abortion abolitionist advocates outside the University Memorial Center on Sept. 10, 2025. (Ainsley Coogan/ CU Independent).
Three abortion abolitionist activists held a demonstration at the University of Colorado Boulder on Wednesday, equipped with signs containing anti-abortion messages that sparked student debate.
From approximately 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the protestors held signs at the University Memorial Center’s Fountain Court. Roughly 15 to 20 students engaged with the protestors throughout their time on campus.
David, who requested to only share his first name, was one of the activists who was present at the square.
“We believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, fourfold in the Old Testament, attested to in the New Testament,” he said. “That’s why we’re here.”
David identified himself and his companions as Colorado Christians. According to David, they were not officially a part of Abolitionists Rising, an American anti-abortion organization, but wore shirts from the group.
The three demonstrators came to CU Boulder to protest because it is an ideal place to have conversations, David said. Each of the three held a sign, prompting student response.
Layna Harlan, a student at CU Boulder, spoke to one of the protestors holding a sign which compared abortion to slavery.
“I work in medical care, and I work with children sometimes, and it’s very devastating to have to speak with people who lost their children, and the fact that he was comparing slavery to abortion, which are both terrible things for people to endure, but comparing them is just absolutely disgusting,” she said.
David said that the visual was a reference to Christian slavery abolitionists.
The sign depicted drawn images of slavery in the United States, with a text bubble which said, “Don’t Like Slavery? Don’t buy a slave.” The sign also contained images of a doctor performing an abortion, with a text bubble saying, “Don’t like abortion? Don’t get one.”
A Protestor on campus holding a sign depicting images of slavery and abortion, with quotes reading , “Don’t like slavery? Don’t get one,” and “Don’t like abortion? Don’t get one.” (Ainsley Coogan/CU Independent).
“You cannot know your sin without the truth being shown,” David said, providing an example of a woman regretting having an abortion procedure.
Harlan felt that comparing abortion to slavery is “absolutely disgusting.”
“I told him that you can preach your message about how horrible you think abortion is, but you don’t have to use other people’s atrocities, especially if you’re not Black, to justify that point,” Harlan said.
The signs were met with backlash from many students on campus. CU students pointed fingers at the protesters and yelled at them to leave.
“I felt like it went against CU’s policy of hate speech,” Harlan said. “Images that evoke reactions from the public are bad.”
On the university’s website, CU says that hate speech must be reviewed the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance to determine whether or not it can be categorized as such.
Sections seven and 11 of the university’s Campus Use of University Facilities Procedures policy states that the Dalton Trumbo Fountain Court serves as an area of public expression for both students and non-students.
Eden Woodward, a CU Boulder student, felt that the messaging and tactics used by the protestors were counterproductive.
“I think that they’re using scare tactics and frightening imagery for hot button topics in order to frustrate students and put a negative image on the school,” she said. “I don’t think this should be stopped, but I think we should examine what they’re coming with, what they’re showing to students and why specifically they’re choosing to do this on a campus.”
Around 1 p.m. students began to show up with signs counterprotesting.
Pro-choice counter protestors with signs at the University Memorial Center on Sept. 10, 2025.
Kiana McCarthy said she immediately made a sign after a friend sent her a picture of the board comparing abortion to slavery, and went to the UMC to protest.
“There’s always going to be someone raised to be hating you, you know. But stand firm on your morals, because you know what is right. Stand for your autonomy. Stand for your rights,” McCarthy said.
