
Various protests are due to take place this evening throughout the country to call for a repeal of the 8th amendment. The protests have been sparked by news that a woman was denied an abortion under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act .
The protests will take place in Dublin, Limerick, Belfast, Cork and Galway as well as London and the Irish Embassy in Berlin and, according to the Examiner, will be run by various groups including Choice Ireland, AIMS Ireland, Rally for Choice, and the Abortions Rights Campaign.
The protesters are calling for a referendum on the controversial 8th Amendment in order to repeal it from the constitution and leave the way clear for limited, legalised abortion.
Choice Ireland spokes-woman Stephanie Lord said: “We are calling on people to take to the streets to show the Government that denying women basic human rights is unacceptable.”
Orlaigh Reidy, of Galway Pro-Choice, commented: “This case further highlights the dangerous nature of the ambiguities and unworkable procedures of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act. This act was meant to prevent the X-Case from ever happening again. In fact, it has given rise to equally disturbing, if not worse, treatment.”
Anti-abortion campaigners have accused the groups of using the case to push for more abortion. Clare Molloy of Youth Defence said: “It has been bizarre to see the reaction of abortion supporters to this sad case on Twitter and other forums.
“Their repeated refrain is to say the great pity here is that the baby — a real person now in a neonatal intensive-care unit — was not terminated. Their lack of compassion is breathtaking.”