By Maya Shavit
Boston University News Service
A suited parade of anti-abortion men were greeted by angry clowns on Boston University campus.
The Boston Clown March for pro-choice activists counter protested the National Men’s March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood on Nov. 16, lighting up Comm Ave.
“Three years ago someone on the Internet said jokingly that it would be funny if we all dressed up as clowns and then we did it, and it became part of the appeal,” said Abby Starr, one of the clown organizers. “We don’t believe in forced birth or fascism in Boston.”
The annual anti-abortion march led by The Men’s March, a national organization run by Catholic men, began at the Planned Parenthood – Greater Boston Health Center, just steps away from West Campus. It continued until the Boston Commons.
“I’m here to save the babies,” said Ryan Lemone, a graduate student living in Boston. “Men should be stepping up to let people know that there are other options besides abortion.”
The Men’s March began in 2021 in Washington, D.C. but spread throughout the country for anti-abortion activists.
Colby Mazzarella, founder of anti-abortion group Way of the Cross for Life, said protests every Saturday outside of the Planned Parenthood on Comm Ave against abortion.
“We’re here to support women in crisis and we have a solution for every kind of problem,” said Mazzarella, who did not march.
As the anti-abortion protesters marched down the campus, they were met by a horde of activists dressed as clowns. Flanking the protest and counter-protest cluster were police and confused onlookers.
“I’m here to get my aggression out,” said BU Law Student Grace Bradford. “It’s absolute insanity to me that there are children in the [anti-abortion march] who don’t understand the political context who were brought here today.”
Clown counter-protest chatter and signs were pointing towards the recent election as a spur to come out to show their support for reproductive rights, with some pro-choice protesters noting that while more anti-abortion politicians had more power in office, they do not have their approval.
“So many counter-protests are so grim and this group that we are protesting against is really grim,” said Starr. “We want to bring joy and spread cheer. What are you going to do, punch a clown?”
