Three Evangelical Christian demonstrators stood on the sidewalk by Old Main on Tuesday, April 22, with large signs and microphones denouncing abortion and what they described as a “sinful” lifestyle, which drew a large crowd of curious students.

The protestors spent hours expressing extreme views, including declaring those who support abortion to be “worse than Nazis,” and repeatedly proclaiming homosexuals, Catholics and many other groups as “bound for hell.”

Students gathered on the lawn of Old Main throughout the day, playing music and talking amongst themselves to express their opposition to the protest. 

Although Hamline has strict rules around protesting on campus, Hamline Public Safety (HPS) was unable to enforce these regulations as the protestors were technically on public property by standing on the sidewalk of Hewitt Ave. Multiple times throughout the afternoon, HPS officers warned the students not to give the protestors attention or energy, but did not otherwise interfere with either of the groups.

Sophomore Parker Schott and first-year Martin Snodderly were the first students to sit themselves in front of the protest, and began playing music from a speaker to drown out the protestors’ shouts.

“There’s not a way to handle it [the protestors] more forward,” Schott said, adding that the protestors had been on campus last year, too.

One of the protesters was identified as David Miller, a science teacher at Kerkhoven Murdock Sunburg School west of the Twin Cities. According to Willmar Radio, complaints had previously been raised against him by parents at the school who took issue with him conducting a similar demonstration at a homecoming football game in 2017. Miller has been involved in multiple lawsuits arguing his right to preach his religious views in public spaces across the state.

By the early afternoon, a larger crowd of over 30 students had accumulated, with some bringing musical instruments to play to distract from the protest. While some people jeered and argued with the protestors, many resorted to singing and dancing as a method of opposing the views being expressed.

Hamline Environmental Education Project (HEEP) chose a spot on the sidewalk next to the protest to draw a collaborative chalk mural celebrating Earth Day, which many students participated in as a distraction from the protest.

After a few hours of continuous protesting and student opposition, the demonstrators left campus around 3:30 p.m. and the gathering of students dispersed.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Clarissa Hayes

Sophomore Parker Schott (left) and first-year Martin Snodderly (right) sit in front of the protestors playing music from a speaker. They were the first students to arrive at the protest.