Liberal College Student Arrested For Allegedly Attacking Pro-Life Activist on UNC Campus

Liberal College Student Arrested For Allegedly Attacking Pro-Life Activist on UNC Campus
An ultrasound image of a baby in the 18th week of pregnancy. ("Baby McBride Ultrasound 17 Weeks 6 Days (3)" by Nogwater/Flickr[CC BY-SA-2.0 (ept.ms/2utDIe9)])
Janita Kan
5/9/2019
Updated:
5/9/2019
Warning: Footage Contains Violence and Graphic Language

A 19-year-old student was arrested after allegedly punching a pro-life group activist at the University of North Carolina (UNC)—an incident that was caught on camera.

Pro-life activist Austin Beigel was at UNC on April 2 to show “large signs depicting the gruesome reality of abortion,” as part of a campaign hosted by pro-life group Created Equal. At one point, a female student approached him asking "Did y’all put these up,” according to a video posted by the group.

When Beigel confirmed that he did, the woman ran up toward him and could be seen swinging her fists at him. She allegedly punched him three to four times in the face and once in the stomach, according to the video.

During the attack, the woman screamed: “[expletive] terrible person.”

“You’re a terrible person. You ... this is not okay. This is not okay. This is not okay. Shut the [expletive] up right now. This is wrong. This is triggering. You’re not an innocent human being. You’re a terrible person,” the woman said.

The woman was identified as Jillian Ward, a pro-abortion feminist and aspiring journalist, according to Fox News. She was arrested by citation and charged with non-aggravated assault, reported the Daily Caller. It is unclear whether Ward attends the university.
In a May 7 Facebook post, Beigel wrote “I was recently assaulted on campus at UNC while peacefully talking to students about abortion. Violence from abortion supporters is becoming more common.”

“I hope you pray for the heart of the young woman who attacked me,'” he added.

Beigel told Faithwire that he decided to ask for his friends and family to pray for the woman who attacked him because it was the “attitude God has given me through his grace.”

“Faith is everything to my responsiveness to situations,” Beigel told the website. “I realize that there but by the grace of God go I. And without Christ’s grace upon my heart, I am her … I am believing those ridiculous things [about abortion].”

In a statement about the incident, Created Equal President Mark Harrington said, “Pro-abortion activists are losing the argument, and instead of seeking debate they are escalating the violence on peaceful preborn defenders on college campuses. We will never cave to acts of violence or intimidation. We will return hate with love for mothers and their babies,” according to Beigel’s Facebook post.

Harrington also told Fox News that he thinks the violence is part of a bigger trend on college campuses.

“Students being groomed on college campuses to be leaders, writers, and thinkers of the Left are increasing in censorship and violence against those with whom they disagree,” Harrington said.

This video comes after Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brian Sims filmed himself harassing a pro-life protestor for nearly nine minutes in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic, repeatedly telling her “shame on you” and ridiculing her Christian faith. He then came under fire again after he posted another video offering his Facebook followers $100 to dox teenage girls who were also outside the clinic in Center City, Philadelphia.

“There’s a group of ‘Christians’ out here shaming the girls and families coming here for medical treatment!” Sims said in a caption accompanying the video.

“So let’s make the most of it! I’ll donate $100 to Planned Parenthood if anyone who knows who these awful people are. Who’ll join me in that $100?—feeling furious at Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania.”

Sims received backlash for his actions and there have been increasing calls demanding that he resigns.