A robot delivering abortion pills, and a protester takes one in Belfast.
They took pills in front of police
Amid the pressure being piled on the Prime Minister to bypass devolution and impose abortion on Northern Ireland. some activists are engaging in dangerous stunts to make their case for changing the law in the province.
Women protesting Northern Ireland's "medieval" pro-life laws took abortion pills in front of police outside Belfast's main court buildings.
Bypassing the law
In a stunt organised by Women on Waves, Women on Web and ROSA Northern Ireland, the pills were delivered by a small robot. In a press release, Women on Waves claimed "the abortion pills can be supplied to women in Northern Ireland without breaking the law because the robot is operated from the Netherlands."
The group are also planning to take the abortion pills on a tour around Northern Ireland.
The police seized the pills and attempted to arrest one woman who openly took the tablet. According to the Independent, "they led her away from the centre of the event and a tense stand-off ensued, with many campaigners gathering around her, insisting that she should not be arrested."
The group did not say whether any of the women were actually pregnant. If they were, taking the pills would be a violation of Northern Irish law, but they sidestepped this by saying that forcing them to take a pregnancy test would bea "severe violation of their human rights".
Childish
Dr Anthony McCarthy of SPUC said, "Such stunts reveal a trivial, resentful and childish approach to pregnancy, the unborn child and women's real health needs. Doubtless the abortion industry welcomes attempts to open up new markets by this kind of depressing street theatre, but the people of Northern Ireland from all sides have a proud tradition of protecting pregnant mothers and not being bullied by those who show such contempt for Northern Irish laws and culture."
SPUC Scotland is currently pursuing a judicial review concerning abortion pills in Scotland.
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