Despite Covid-19, Poles march for the right to abortion

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated Friday, October 30 in Warsaw and across Poland, defying restrictions linked to the pandemic, to protest a court decision banning virtually all abortions.

Read also: In Poland, the abortion battle resumes

Waving rainbow flags, chanting anti-government slogans, protesters in Warsaw carried overwhelmingly the symbol of their revolt - red lightning.

This is the ninth consecutive day of protests since the Constitutional Court's controversial decision to restrict abortion.

"

" Marta Lempart, co-founder of the women's strike movement, who called for a rally, told reporters on Friday.

"

»,«

Chanted the signs held up by the mostly young demonstrators, who also chanted anti-government slogans.

According to the Warsaw City Hall "

" took part in the protest in the city center as the police made "

" in two incidents.

Women's rights activists, who are behind these rallies, face legal action because any gathering of more than five people on the public highway is currently prohibited.

Relatively smaller protest actions were held in dozens of other Polish cities large like Krakow, Lodz, Katowice or Wroclaw, and small, as well as abroad, like Barcelona and Vienna.

Pro-abortion protesters in Warsaw on October 30, 2020. WOJTEK RADWANSKI / AFP

"Irresponsible behavior"

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned of the possible consequences of the protests during the pandemic, when the Ministry of Health announced a record 21,629 new infections in 24 hours.

“

,” Morawiecki wrote on Facebook.

Members of the government have called the protests acts of "

" and "

" after some attacks on Catholic churches.

Far-right groups called on Warsaw residents to “

” churches during Friday's protest, although its organizers said they did not plan to target religious institutions.