Poland: unprecedented demonstration, despite the pandemic, against the ban on abortion

Text by: Thomas Giraudeau Follow

In Poland, a very controversial bill, on the initiative of ultra-Catholic organizations, returns to Parliament on Wednesday. He wants to prohibit abortion in the event of a malformation of the fetus. It is one of only three cases authorized by Polish law, one of the most restrictive in Europe. MEPs must approve or reject this text on Wednesday. The ruling Law and Justice party has already tried on several occasions to restrict access to abortion. So, to put pressure on elected officials, feminist associations and thousands of citizens are protesting in an original way. Because in these times of pandemic, impossible to demonstrate in the streets.

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From our correspondent in Warsaw,

For the past few days, Poles have been protesting on social media and on their balconies. They hang posters there against the anti-abortion bill.
Black umbrellas too. Symbol of the Polish struggle for the right to abortion since major demonstrations, end of 2016.

" The Polish government is dealing with a bill that it was forced to reject years ago because we protested, " said Ola Glowicka, who lives in Warsaw. So we show them that even if we are stranded at home, they cannot beat us. I, for example, I stuck posters on my windows. And I also sent 276 emails to MPs to tell them of my opposition to the bill. "

Elected officials have received more than a million and a half emails against the text. Motorists also blocked a strategic crossing from Warsaw at midday on Tuesday. Marta Lempart is behind these actions. She created the Strajk Kobiet movement, the women's strike: “ It's really impressive. We share hundreds of photos, videos. It is the only way; we cannot negotiate with the party in power. I am sure that if we do not mobilize enough, they will approve this bill. "

His hope: that the majority deputies send this text again in committee. Clearly, that it be put back in the closet for a few more years.

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• Poland
• Coronavirus
• Containment
• Womens rights

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