- On March 8, thousands in Ireland protested for the right to choose.
Thousands of people across Ireland went on strike in solidarity with women who are forced to travel to the UK to access abortions which are banned in their own country.
Strike4Repeal campaigners marched in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Kilkenny as well as around the UK, and in New York, Melbourne and Buenos Aires, to demand the Irish government hold a constitutional referendum on Ireland’s eighth amendment – which places the right to life of an unborn child on equal footing with that of the mother.
Organisers asked citizens to take the day off work, forgo domestic chores where possible, wear black in solidarity, register support on social media and ask local businesses to close their services.
“Thousands of people took time off work last year to access abortions – we are asking you to show your solidarity with them,” said a video message by Strike4Repeal, which asked people to strike if a referendum was not held by March 8.
In an act of resistance, demonstrators chanted “Get your rosaries off our ovaries” and “This is what democracy looks like” as they halted traffic in the hope that the Irish government would hear their voices.
The amendment, which was passed in 1983, prohibits abortion unless a woman’s life is in immediate danger. Abortions can legally take place in Ireland in cases of rape, incest, or ill health of the mother.
One of the protesters said, “Having a pro-life view is outdated. The thing is that not everyone is ready for a child, and it’s unfair for a child to be born into a world where no one can nourish them and protect them. It’s inhumane to expect people to be parents when they’re not equipped to be. This is an incredible movement and one I am proud to be part of.”
