There’s a ‘no to anti-abortion protesters in Leeds’ event happening TODAY

They’re meeting outside Leeds Art Gallery

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On Thursday from 12:30 to 14:00 there will be an event to combat an anti-abortion group who are currently in Leeds going under the banner of ‘Awakening Tour.’ ‘Exposing #OurBlindSpot’ is coming to Leeds to protest fifty years since the 1967 Abortion Act.

The Facebook event states: “They call abortion ‘one of the biggest injustices of our time’ – they say banning abortion ‘is a winnable fight’. Let’s be clear of the stats – 1.6 billion women experience an unsafe abortion worldwide each year; 18.5 million of these occur in developing countries. 47,000 women die from complications of unsafe abortion each year. Deaths due to unsafe abortion remain close to 13% of all maternal deaths.”

It continues: “Those with reproductive systems deserve free, legal and safe abortions. Those with reproductive systems are not full citizens unless they have the fundamental rights over their own bodies and any choices associated with that. Activists fought hard in this country for the right to abortion, it isn’t perfect in England but what we have we must defend from religious extremists that would see us cast back to a dark time in England of back street abortions and the use of coat hangers.

“And these groups do gain some credence, the largest pot of money from the tampon tax goes to such a pro life group. We must not accept anti abortion activists in our city, we must not accept them anywhere. We must organise to defend the abortion rights we have and stand in solidarity with those across the world who still do not have access to legal, affordable and safe abortion – like the repeal the 8th amendment campaigners in Ireland. Join us”.

If you’re interested in attending assemble outside the Art Gallery.

Photo credit: No to Anti-Abortion Protesters in Leeds Facebook Page