Contact: Allison K. Aranda, Staff Counsel, Life Legal Defense Foundation, 951-541-9327

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 27 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Survivors returned to the streets of Birmingham, Alabama, last Thursday to participate in a series of pro-life events over the past few days.  A consent agreement reached between the City and the group ensured that Birmingham city police would not interfere with the expressive activities of the pro-life youth group.  The City abided by its agreement, and the Survivors were able to educate the public and show the truth about abortion. 

Sadly, this constitutional victory has been overshadowed by the unwarranted arrest of two of the Survivors at the University of Alabama (UAB), on Monday.  UAB administrators ordered the young people off of the campus claiming that the public university was actually "private property." When Kristina Garza, Survivors' new Campus Life Tour director, asked the UAB administrator what right he had to order the group off of public property, the UAB official refused to speak with Garza and would not even provide his name.

UAB police responded to the call by administrators and within two minutes arrested the two activists for failing to heed the unreasonable demand to leave the campus and for videotaping the incident. LLDF attorneys made several calls to UAB's general counsel.  Within a few hours, the young people were released from jail with no criminal charges.

LLDF Executive Director Dana Cody commented on the recent arrests, "While we are pleased that the University of Alabama police have released the two pro-life demonstrators, there is clearly more work to be done in Birmingham."  Ms. Cody went on to state that, "We will be working to ensure that the University of Alabama follows in the steps of the City of Birmingham and allows these young people to peacefully exercise their free speech rights on the public campus when the Survivors' Campus Life Tour returns to Birmingham this Fall."

Life Legal Defense Foundation is a non-profit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens, committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation.  For more information call Allison K. Aranda at 951-541-9327.