Protests in Poland after court ruling on near-total ban on abortions

The court ruling bans the abortion of foetuses with congenital defects.
AP

Protests have broken out in Poland after the country’s top court confirmed its contentious near-total ban on abortions.

Despite rampant opposition from thousands of campaigners who began protesting last year, the court still went ahead with the ban.

The official publication of a court ruling late on Wednesday tightens already strict laws, which will now only permit the procedure in cases of rape, incest and when the mother’s life is at risk.

It also bans the abortion of foetuses with congenital defects.

Until now, congenital defects were the reason behind most legal abortions in the country.

Thousands of women crowded the streets, with flags, banners and loudspeakers. They gathered outside the court building in Warsaw, responding to calls for new protests by women’s groups that led weeks of massive demonstrations last year against the initial October 22 ruling.

The women were also joined by men and an array of groups in Warsaw while protests were held in many other cities, under a heavy police presence.

POLAND-ABORTION-DEMONSTRATION
Protests were also held in many other cities, under a heavy police presence
AFP via Getty Images

In Warsaw,  protesters later marched through the city centre to the ruling party’s headquarters with signs of the leading “Women’s Strike” group and pro-LGBT rights rainbow flags. Like in last year’s demonstrations, they defied Poland’s pandemic ban on gatherings.

POLAND-ABORTION-DEMONSTRATION
More protests were planned on Thursday.
AFP via Getty Images

No violence was reported on either side although some of last year’s marches led to clashes with police.

The main opposition Civic Platform party condemned the court’s move on Wednesday as “a provocation” by Law and Justice.

“The government is trying to cover up its incompetence (in dealing with the pandemic) and is doing that in a cynical way,” Civic Platform leader Borys Budka tweeted.

More protests were planned on Thursday.

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