Poland’s Leaders Condemn Church Attacks After Anti-Abortion Ruling
By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – Poland’s prime minister has condemned “pro-choice” protestors who disrupt church services and block roads to express anger over a court ruling that severely restricts abortions.
“To have the freedom of choice, you first must be alive,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, whose government backs the restrictions.
Poland’s influential ruling party leader went even further, urging his supporters to defend the predominantly Catholic nation’s churches.
The appeal by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a conservative, drew condemnation from the opposition who accused him of deepening the nation’s divide, inciting hatred and civil war.
Poland’s archbishop appealed for calm as massive demonstrations — in violation of coronavirus pandemic restrictions — entered their sixth day Tuesday with angry gatherings and obscene chants before churches and even disruptions of Masses.
PRO-ABORTION BANNERS
Earlier in Poznan, a dozen women chanted “we are sick of this” and held pro-abortion banners in front of the altar.
Priests were forced to stop the
Sunday service as protesters sat on the floor before police officers arrived, footage showed.
In a park in Krakow, black underwear was reportedly hung up on lines between trees, while in Lodz, a protest near the city’s cathedral called for the separation of church and state.
Graffiti was sprayed on the walls of Warsaw churches.
On Monday, thousands of protesters led by women’s rights activists blocked traffic for hours in most cities and gathered outside churches. They were seen chanting obscenities against Poland’s influential Catholic Church leaders, who condemn abortions.
Activists called for women to have the right of choice, prompting the prime minister to say that you need to be alive first to make a decision.
CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL
Their days of outrage follows the October 22 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that abortions, even in cases of fetal defects, are illegal.
It means abortion is now only valid in cases of rape or incest or to protect the mother’s life.
A legal challenge against the 1993 law permitting abortion in cases of severe fetal disabilities – was launched by legislators from the ruling nationalist conservative Law and Justice party last year.
A majority of the court’s judges were nominated by the same party, despite objections from the European Union.
Poland has one of the strictest abortion laws within the 27-nation bloc. When the new restrictions take effect, expected within days or weeks, abortion will be allowed only if a pregnancy threatens the woman’s health or is the result of a crime like rape or incest.