GOP senators warn Smithsonian museums not to eject anti-abortion activists
Republican senators sent a stern warning to the Smithsonian museums: leave anti-abortion activists to do what they want.
According to Fox News, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Todd Young (R-IN) told the institutions in a letter, "This peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights has historically provided participants with a positive, welcoming experience in our nation’s capital," and that attendees of the National March for Life should not be harassed or excluded if they visit the museums.
"Two years ago, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum booted several Catholic students and their chaperones for wearing pro-life attire," reported Jamie Joseph. "Students and chaperones from Our Lady of the Rosary School in Greenville, South Carolina, traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual National March for Life. The group stood out in matching blue beanies emblazoned with the words 'Rosary PRO-LIFE.'"
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Ultimately, the Smithsonian had to settle a lawsuit brought on the students' behalf by the right-wing public interest law firm, the American Center for Law and Justice. While the Air & Space Museum disputes certain accounts of the students, spokesperson Alison Wood told the conservative Washington Examiner that their removal was not appropriate.
“Asking visitors to remove hats and clothing is not in keeping with our policy or protocols,” said Wood. “We provided immediate training to prevent a reoccurrence of this kind of incident and have determined steps to ensure this does not happen again.”
In recent years, the March for Life has been plagued with troubles even as the group saw one of its major policy goals accomplished with the Supreme Court allowing states to enact total abortion bans. In 2022, the white supremacist group Patriot Front infiltrated the organization. More recently, anti-abortion groups have been divided over what the strategy should be and whether President Donald Trump is moving them in the right direction.