Contested Spaces: Anti-Abortion Activism and Campus Safety at UNB

Cover Photo Credit: Jaxon McCray

By Violet S.Z. Maier and Tiffany Parker

Throughout March 2026, a man named Bryon Miller has been consistently harassing young women on UNB’s Fredericton campus, screaming profanities and death wishes upon those who have chosen to get an abortion. Miller claimed to be a Political Science Masters graduate from UNB. Miller, along with a few others, have paraded graphic signs (as pictured in the cover image) around campus, and followed girls to their classes to ask if they have ever had an abortion. He would then proceed to read Bible quotes into a microphone—audible across campus. During Miller’s early-to-mid March protests, UNBF Security did not take action.

Fredericton’s last abortion clinic (clinic 554) shut down in January 2024 due to lack of public  funding, rent increases, and government refusal to cover the procedure with Medicare. This leaves no reasonable explanation as to why UNB or Fredericton would be relevant to Miller’s argument. The closest non-hospital clinic to New Brunswick is the ROSE clinic, located in Halifax.

The reasoning for needing an abortion differs between individuals; however it is commonly related to financial issues, sexual assault, or unpreparedness. In 2026, 40% of people shared that they aren’t financially ready for another child, and 36% shared that it’s not a good moment in life. Other reasons people have shared were related to their partners, mental health issues, needing to focus on other children, and physical health complications. 

Dr. Martha Paynter, abortion rights advocate and associate Nursing professor at UNB, spoke to the safety of abortion:

“Both types of abortion are safer than tylenol, safer than colonoscopy. Very, very safe. There’s a 14 times better chance at dying from birth.” 

Dr. Paynter stated the education system should better promote safe environments and clarity about abortion, arguing: 

“Education is extremely powerful and once people understand something [it is] much less frightening and they will have a better experience.”

Finally, Dr. Paynter added her opinion on abortion:

“ Because the person who is pregnant is the patient, not the fetus, not anyone who’s around—it’s not considered murder. And we act in law, which the law states a person is only considered a person until out of the womb.”

Dr. Paynter also suggested that if there is any confusion, her book Lawless: Abortion under Complete Decriminalization explains processes surrounding abortion in detail, while also destigmatizing abortion itself.

On March 31, 2026, we spoke with Don Allen, director of security at UNBF, to ask questions pertaining to Miller. He stated:

“The right to have a peaceful demonstration on a university campus is protected by legislation and our own policies.  Although as a property owner, normally section 3(1) of the NB Trespass Act would permit UNB to trespass anyone from its property (and someone who refused could be subject to enforcement by the police), there is a statutory exception in section 4(a) that prevents UNB from trespassing someone engaged in a peaceful demonstration as per Section 4(a). 

Additionally, as a publicly-funded university, we also encourage and recognize the freedom of opinion, expression, and peaceful assembly in UNB policy in UNB’s Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities, s. 7. Granted, not all speech is protected speech. There are provisions in the Criminal Code against hate crimes (Section 318) or public incitement of hatred (Section 319), but the scope is limited in its definition (and does not include the topic of abortion rights), and enforcement and the definition is with the police, not UNB.”

UNB defines personal harassment as: 

“Objectionable or offensive behaviour directed at an individual that is known or should reasonably be known to be unwelcome and which has the effect of creating an intimidating, humiliating, hostile, or offensive environment or that threatens the health or safety of any Member of the University Community.”

Despite this, according to UNBF Security, UNB’s Harassment and Discrimination section (Policy H.3. Human Rights and Equity. PG 3) also does not hold any grounds for Miller’s potential removal. 

Don Allen and UNBF Security closed their statement with:

“In balancing the freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly with the concern members of the community, UNB also recognizes that the topic and signs used by the protestors can be triggering to some individuals and are working on a strategy to notify members of the community of the graphic images so that members may choose to avoid the areas where the protest is, should it return to campus. 

I have spoken to the head of Counselling Services and the Student Support and Intervention Team to advise them of the incidents and let them know that students may end up being referred there, or self-refer, for support. We have been and will continue to ensure trained UNB security personnel are present to monitor the demonstration to ensure it remains peaceful, and if it does not, to act swiftly to defuse the situation or seek external help, while also respecting the demonstrators and counter-demonstrators rights to engage in peaceful protest and debate.”

Sign the petition by Kirpass Kaur, an undergraduate student and editor-in-chief of The Drunken Lovely Bird, to get Miller banned from the UNBF campus.