The last month and a bit has seen growing tension over abortion. As anti-abortionists 40 Days 4 Life have been picketing the advice center in Bedford Square in some cases approach women who were going to get advise or a medical procedure, on one occasion bragging that they had turned two women away.
Brilliantly some of those who live or work in the area decided that they could not allow this continue without showing that the pro-choice majority, who want to defend women’s rights to control their own bodies, is not going to be silent.
There were regular Sunday counter-vigils and on last Friday a much larger demo and counter demo took place on the steps of the clinic (which was closed at the time). Muuch more confrontational than the regular Sunday vigils the two camps squared off against each other prayers vs chants.
At one point the critical mass bike ride came and showed its support for the pro-choice lobby (pic) and despite a little bit of unpleasantness the demonstrations passed without real incident. There’s a great picture from HarpyMarx, and pro-choice protesters carried placards with slogans like “My Chuff My Choice“, “I’m pro-choice and in charge“, and “I asked God and she’s pro-choice“.
There is a real concern that debates like those over gay marriage, contraception, sex education and abortion (so called “culture wars”) are beginning to polarise in the way that they have in the US, with those who want to restrict people’s rights becoming more confident and a small but hardened extreme wing beginning to develop.
Another angry woman has a good report on events on Friday and there’s a great podcast from the pod delusion and an interesting film from the Guardian as well as an Indymedia report on other similar protests in London.
Thanks to Caroline Russell for the lovely photo (right).
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