The ultra-conservative legislation of the ruling party has succeeded in upsetting large sections of the population in the Catholic state • Tens of thousands marched in a huge demonstration in the capital Warsaw
Tens of thousands in the capital Warsaw // Photo: Reuters
Tens of thousands demonstrated this evening (Friday) across Poland against legislation banning abortions even in the event of fetal damage or defects, after the country's protest movement grew from protests by women's and leftist organizations to moderate and center-right parties and organizations, which see the new legislation as an extreme intervention In freedom of choice.
Demonstrations of more than 22,000 people have taken place in the capital, Warsaw, one of the largest the city has seen in recent years, despite an explicit threat from the country's attorney general that protesters will be charged with deliberately spreading disease during an epidemic, up to eight years in prison.
Drone footage shows thousands of protesters taking to the streets of Warsaw, Poland, to protest a court ruling that further limited the country's restrictive abortion laws https://t.co/AkR7iHNI98 pic.twitter.com/QMvXU2Yf2x
- Reuters (@Reuters) October 30, 2020
Yesterday, members of the protest movement received support from an unexpected place, the president of the country, Andrzej Duda, who belongs to the ruling party "Law and Justice Party".
Aunt said that the law is excessive and that it supports a woman's right to abort in certain situations that the law does not allow.
But despite reluctant support from the establishment, fears are growing that the demonstrations will escalate into violence, as police in the country clashed violently with protesters during the week and Prime Minister Mataus Morveyecki's call for dignitaries to protect churches and reunite in the streets could provoke protests between protesters and ruling party members.
Clementia Sochnau, one of the organizers of the demonstrations, told the media that she and many others refuse to succumb to the threat of the virus and the people in power in the country because they believe they are fighting for their basic rights.
"This is an election and the dignity of our people. Our protest should be a lesson for those who try to establish an autocratic government," Sucenau said.
Legislation against abortion was approved this week in a decision of the Supreme Court of Poland, a decision spurred by the ruling Law and Justice Party in the country.
State media reported that hospitals had already begun filling in for the abortion and women who had scheduled an abortion were taken out of hospitals over the past week.
