Posted By Kenzie Smith on Apr 23, 2024 | 2 comments

The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) held an anti-abortion protest on the sidewalks outside of Servo and CUB. (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)

By Kenzie Smith, Arts & Entertainment Editor

On Monday, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP), which is based in Hanover, PA, held an anti-abortion protest on the sidewalks outside of Servo and the College Union Building (CUB). This group has held similar protests on campus throughout the previous years.

The TFP was clad in suits with red sashes, and some carried large banners with “Tradition,” “Family” and “Property” written across them or signs stating, “Smile, You Survived Abortion” and “Honk Against Abortion.” Other members played the drums or bagpipes. Many of the members were handing out pamphlets to any students who would take them. One of the TFPs also had a camera videotaping the demonstration.

Member of TFP Nathan Kinley shared their purpose of holding this protest: “Our main purpose is to make the student body here aware of the dangers of issues like abortion or socialism… What we want to do is engage in discussions concerning abortion, civilized debates.”

Kinsley spoke on the TFP’s use of banners, drums and bagpipes, as well as their attire: “We’re against abortion, are we not? And we’re trying to attract attention.”

Some of TFP’s signs stated, “Smile, You Survived Abortion” and “Honk Against Abortion.” (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)

In reference to being asked if he thinks it is fair to come onto a college campus when students are often stressed and have various experiences with religion, some not positive, Kinley stated, “Truth doesn’t offend anybody. And then the case of stress, I understand many college students are stressed, but we also get stressed too. I mean we were attacked last year, and that was a very stressful moment.”

The moment Kinley was referring to was when a student grabbed one of the protester’s signs at a prior demonstration and ran away with it. This action, as well as the crowd of students at the last protest who had counter-protested TFP, showed that some members of the student body did not appreciate the presence of the group.

Kinsley spoke on why the TFP decided to return to campus after the counter-protest in 2022: “Because there’s many kids on this campus that do support us… Me personally, I’ve met over a dozen students that have came out and outwardly supported us.”

Some students watched the protest from the CUB patio and others engaged in conversation with members of TFP. (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)

Kinsley added, “By coming back, we show those students that we are not afraid, and you shouldn’t be afraid either to speak your mind.”

Some students watched the protest from the CUB patio and others engaged in conversation with members of TFP. A few of the students watching the protest shared their opinions on the demonstration. 

“There’s now an abortion law in the books that’s from the same time we were legally enslaving people. So we just have to consider how old these stupid laws are and the now modern understanding of medicine and women’s safety,” Moira Liles ’27 said. 

Delaney Stahl ’27 added, “It’s just upsetting to see a group of men sit here and yell at women and tell them that they know more about their bodies than we do. And it’s just frustrating; I just want to sit outside.” 

A Campus Safety officer was also present at the protest.

The TFP was clad in suits with red sashes, and some carried large banners with “Tradition,” “Family” and “Property” written across them. (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)

This group has held similar protests on campus throughout previous years. (Photo Konrad Vandborg/The Gettysburgian)

Many of the members were trying to hand out pamphlets to any students who would take them. (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)

A Campus Safety officer was present at the protest. (Photo Konrad Vandborg/The Gettysburgian)