EXCLUSIVE: Pro-life group's display vandalized 10 times at Christopher Newport University
A pro-life display at Christopher Newport University was recently vandalized 10 times, forcing the police to detain two students.
Campus Reform obtained exclusive information concerning the events from LI Field Coordinator Callista Mendoza, in addition to exclusive footage of one of the vandalism incidents.
Information gathered by Campus Reform from Leadership Institute Regional Field Coordinator Callista Mendoza has revealed that a pro-life display at Christopher Newport University was vandalized 10 times, forcing the police to detain two students.
The “Cemetery of the Innocents” flag display, provided by the Leadership Institute and which Mendoza helped put up, was meant to represent lives lost to abortion.
The exhibit was set up at 3 pm on April 18 and taken down the next day at 1:30 am. In that timespan, eight students attempted to remove or steal flags, but returned them when warned that they would be reported to the police.
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However, at 9:00 pm, police were called to respond to a student who kicked and damaged a sign. According to exclusive footage obtained by Campus Reform, a nearly identical incident occurred one hour later, requiring the police to return and detain that individual as well.
Both students are expected to be sanctioned by the school’s Center for Honor Enrichment and Community Standards.
Earlier in the day, the group was approached by a student, Connor Land, according to Mendoza. She says Land donated $60 to the chapter, citing his pro-life beliefs.
However, chapter members familiar with Land were skeptical, largely due to his Instagram profile, which features #blacklivesmatter and #womensrights in the bio. Land also declined to have his name recorded with the group for his donation, despite this disqualifying him from eligibility for a tax deduction.
Land allegedly returned fifteen minutes later claiming that he had lost his car keys and asked for the chapter members’ assistance in finding them, to which they agreed. The keys were found in what Mendoza described as “an obscure place.”
When Mendoza later went to her car to retrieve a phone charger, she noticed Land crouched down in a nearby vehicle. When she walked past, he ran from the car with the alarm blaring and his phone and keys still in the vehicle. Mendoza reported the suspicious behavior to the police, but Land was not detained.
Students for Life at CNU, Christopher Newport University, the Center for Honor Enrichment and Community Standards, and Connor Land have been contacted for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
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