We chained ourselves to help our sisters lose their chains
Feminists chain themselves to Department of Health – protesting for Abortion Rights to Northern Ireland.
On Monday 20 October at 8.30am, feminists chained themselves to the Department of Health and obstructed access to the building to add to the public pressure for access to abortion to be extended to Northern Ireland. Around 40 activists came to offer support, to demonstrate and to leaflet the public.
Activists from across the north of the country also gathered in central Manchester on Monday 20th October to take part in direct action in solidarity with women in Northern Ireland. Feminist Fightback and Alliance for Choice (pro-choice Northern Ireland group) called for joint action across the country to support pro-choice amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill in Parliament on 22 October 2008. In Manchester students from Manchester University Student Union, Sheffield and trade unionists from the area tied themselves to railings in a park in central Manchester — each activist carrying a sign to spell out ‘Extend Abortion Rights to Northern Ireland’.
During the run up to the vote on the bill Feminist Fightback produced a briefing aimed at MPs calling for support for the pro-choice amendments which we are asking people to sign.
Activists from Feminist Fightback will be attending the Annual General Meeting of Abortion Rights and pressing for outlining a campaign for full reproductive freedoms as well as ideas for grassroots campaigning.
Read Diane Abbot MP’s article “A right to choose? Not in Northern Ireland” in The Guardian
Feminist Fightback’s Briefing “A call from pro-choice trade unionists, students and feminist groups for MPs to defend and extend reproductive freedoms” can be found here.
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