Pro-life protests mark 44th anniversary of abortion act

Campaigners across 50 towns in the UK stage ‘pro-life chains’ on the anniversary of the abortion act of 1967. Pro-choice campaigners tell Channel 4 News the demonstrators are in the minority.

Nationwide pro-life protests were organised by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children which describes the demonstrations as giving “silent witness” to unborn children since abortion was made legal in 1968.

Fifty towns, from Bath to Blackpool, formed chains and held placards to “bring home the reality of abortion” for two hours starting at 11am, the Society said.

The protestors wanted to reminding motorists that “abortion kills babies and abortion harms women,” Society spokesman Tony Mullett said.

Vigils

“Abortion on demand has resulted in abortion for the handicapped, abortion for unborn babies usually if the sex is female, and abortion on request. This is not supported by the public,” he added.

Pro-choice advocates disagree, however, saying most Britons support their views.

The debate follow a recent ongoing “vigil” protest, 40 Days for Life, outside the British Pregnancy Advice Service in London earlier this year.

It also follows counter-vigils at the Bloomsbury Pro-Choice Alliance in response to those by 40 Days for Life, spokeswoman Kerry Johnson said.

Although abortion has been legal in the UK since the 1960s, it returned to the spotlight after MP Nadine Dorries’ unsuccessful attempt to reduce the time limit for terminations and to ban organisations which carry out abortion from providing counselling.

In February, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley also ordered a short notice investigation of practices in abortion clinics, following a newspaper investigation.

U.S.-style demos

Ms Johnson said the increase in protests may be mirroring US demonstrations.

“Whether this is due to MPs like Nadine Dorries trying to get abortion back on the political agenda is hard to say, but it certainly seems to be a swing towards US-style tactics,” she said.

“It’s important to remember that these people are the minority, and the UK remains a pro-choice country as a whole,” Ms Johnson added.