Last week, Students for Life of America (SFLA) made national waves with its second “Stop Pharmacy Abortions” Week of Protests, mobilizing the Pro-Life Generation (PLG) across over 85 events in 35 states. From coast to coast, passionate advocates gathered outside pharmacies, including major chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart, to demand an end to the distribution of Chemical Abortion Pills. 

The week was packed with powerful moments and courageous activism. One of the most intense incidents occurred outside a Walmart in Mesa, Colorado, where our peaceful students were confronted and assaulted by an angry woman who ripped signs from their hands and struck one female. Despite the aggression, our students remained calm and committed to their message.  

READ: Walmart Showdown During “Stop Pharmacy Abortions” Event: Peaceful Pro-Life Students vs. One Very Angry Shopper 

Meanwhile, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, SFLA’s billboard truck made a striking appearance at the local protest, amplifying the call for pharmacies to “opt out” of selling abortion-inducing drugs. The visual impact and grassroots energy helped draw attention from both the public and media.  

From dynamic rallies at CVS Health Headquarters in Rhode Island to Walgreens Corporate HQ in Illinois, the week showcased the strength and resolve of a movement determined to protect life and hold corporations accountable. Read about some of the impactful stories from regional coordinators and our fight to keep Chemical Abortion Pills out of family-friendly chains. 

CVS Health Headquarters: Woonsocket, Rhode Island   

“Toward the end of our protest, a man in his fifties approached our group. Not sure what his intention was, I approached him and introduced myself. He said he lived in the area and wanted to know more about what we were doing. He didn’t know a ton about Chemical Abortion Pills, so we educated him about how dangerous the pills are to both mom and baby. After talking to him for a while, it became clear that the man was supportive of what we were doing. The man went on to share that his girlfriend had had an abortion behind his back years ago, and he didn’t find out about it until five years after it happened when he received a phone call from a friend, asking him to pay him back. His girlfriend had gone behind his back and asked a friend for money for the abortion.   

“The man teared up and shared that the more he tells his story, the more he feels that he can heal from the abortion. I told him about after-abortion support and asked if he had a religious background. The man shared that he was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school for 12 years, but he was no longer practicing. I shared with him the support systems that are available and encouraged him to return to church. He shared that he has a church down the road from his house and seemed interested in going back or at least seeking healing.”   

— Jessica Power, New England Regional Coordinator    

CVS: Minneapolis, Minnesota   

“Our protest went really well — of course, there were counter-protesters, but we got to talk to quite a few people on the street. One woman shared with us that she had had the option to abort her child 20 years ago because of many complications, but chose Life. She was able to have one hour with the baby before they passed away, and she said she wouldn’t change her decision to this day. She was really grateful to see us out there.”  

 — Jose Guzman Martinez, Northern Regional Coordinator   

CVS & Walgreens: Southfield, Michigan   

“I dropped off letters to five different pharmacists between CVS and Walgreens about the harms of Chemical Abortion Pills to women, and I briefly explained to them that we’d like for their companies to take an official stance against selling this dangerous regimen. Judging by the facial expressions the pharmacists were trying to stifle, I could tell they probably didn’t agree with my stance, but they were respectful and agreed to deliver the letter to their managers. I’m used to being screamed at and cursed out by abortion supporters, so it was refreshing to interact with them while they’re at work since they know they need to be professional and civil on the clock.”   

— Morgan Reece, Michigan Regional Coordinator   

Walgreens: Tempe, Arizona   

“The weather started great, but took a drastic turn about 35 minutes into our protest. A flood watch began with intense rain, and it was actually the most rain Arizona has seen in seven years! Despite these circumstances, it seemed that many people were supportive of our work. I spoke with one gentleman who pulled over and shared how his children were trafficked. Others stopped to thank us, tell us to keep up the good work, and follow us on social media. Of course, we had the ugly interactions with abortion supporters cussing us out, but it was overall very positive. I think people driving by were really just amazed to see us out there in that mess. Our students are champions; they wanted to be there!”   

— Kathleen Pelak, Pacific Southwest Regional Coordinator   

Walgreens: San Francisco, California   

“This event brought together the students of the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of San Francisco. The latter has a Catholic Student Fellowship that is a very fresh partner of ours. This joint protest was amazing because, despite students being nervous about how their peers would react, they still committed and followed through. I’m hopeful that this is the start of many more coalition efforts in the Bay Area!”   

— Christian Alan, California and Nevada Regional Coordinator   

CVS & Walgreens: North Carolina   

“At the CVS on the North Carolina State University campus, we hosted a Stop Pharmacy Abortions protest during rush hour. Many of the responses to us weren’t positive, including a lot of obscenities being yelled from car windows, but we were able to have several civil conversations with passersby.    

“At the Walgreens in Goldsboro, we had 10 students come out and drive more than an hour away to protest the sale of Chemical Abortion Pills in pharmacies. This protest was met with a lot of supportive honks and waves again during rush hour. It was very encouraging!”   

— Alicia Foreman, Regional Coordinator of the Carolinas    

Kroger: Lexington, Kentucky  

“Our protest was very successful in getting people thinking. Although people were hesitant to speak with us, many who walked past our protest stopped to read the signs and paused to consider our message. While Kroger doesn’t currently sell these deadly pills, we are calling on them to pledge never to become agents of death. I believe we gave many people food for thought on this topic!”  

— Rebekah Keith, Appalachian Regional Coordinator   

Walgreens: Nashville, Tennessee   

“Arriving at the protest site, I was a little nervous because we were stationed very close to the Capitol and off a main road. However, this ultimately proved to be a great boon for us in spreading our message. We had two young men stop by and ask us what we were protesting. After explaining that Walgreens sells death to its customers and just how dangerous Chemical Abortion is for women, they were both shocked and looked very uncomfortable. While I don’t know if the men are pro-life or pro-abortion, I do know that we were able to plant a seed of truth.”  

— Rebekah Keith, Appalachian Regional Coordinator   

Walgreens: St. Louis, Missouri   

“We had a large group come to stand again Chemical Abortion Pill distribution with us, and people passing by on the sidewalk were so inspired that they stopped to hold signs with us, as well. One lady was on her way to the pharmacy, saw us, honked, and then came to hold signs for an hour. She told us what a great job we were doing, and her encouragement meant a great deal. I also had two people reach out to me on Instagram who saw us, started following me, and became supporters of Students for Life of America because of this outreach.”  

— Morgan Tiemeyer, Ozarks Regional Coordinator   

CVS & Walgreens: Thibodaux, Louisiana   

“My protest started at CVS. There was no sidewalk, however, and it was pouring down rain! We stood under the overhang for a while, but the staff rudely told us to leave or they would “call the cops” once they noticed us talking to people outside. We hopped across the street and stood on a public sidewalk in front of Walgreens (they both happen to be next to each other). We ended up receiving a lot of support from people passing by, and even had some cars stop to sign our petition. I absolutely commend the students who stuck it out and protested in the pouring rain!”  

— Cailey Difulco, Southern Campus Formation Coordinator   

Walgreens: Orlando, Florida   

“Our protest had a few hiccups along the way, but we still had a successful day with lots of honks from cars and conversations. One gentleman even stopped his motorcycle on the side of the road to ask why we were protesting. I told him we were protesting Walgreens carrying dangerous Chemical Abortion Pills because they harm not only women but also preborn children, too. He was super supportive, wanted to learn more, and took our picture before riding off on his Harley. I have never had someone pull over in traffic to talk to me about the pro-life movement before, so that was super cool!”   

— Kristen Marais, Florida and Puerto Rico Regional Coordinator  

Walgreens: Kansas City, Kansas   

“While we were speaking for Life on the side of the road, we noticed that the older generation of the neighborhood was more supportive of our efforts. I talked to one gentleman who had just gotten off the bus, and he was extremely encouraging, calling the business practices of pharmacies selling mifepristone “predatory.” In addition, he mentioned that the younger generations act like Chemical Abortion Pills are the same as taking a Flintstone’s gummy vitamin. The sentiment was the same for many other older people. People under 35 were more hostile to us speaking up, choosing to call names, curse, or give us the middle finger. These observations solidify our need to speak up on campuses. We need to be talking to students where they are so that we can work on changing hearts and minds.”   

— William Anderson, Midwest Regional Coordinator   

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