In defiance of bans on large gatherings, 100,000 protestors gathered in Warsaw, Poland last Friday to protest the implementation of a court ruling that would effectively make abortion illegal in the country. The protests continued into Tuesday, with the Polish government stating, “There is a discussion” ongoing, according to The Guardian.
The ruling, which came down from Poland’s constitutional court on Thursday, states that abortion due to fetal defects was unconstitutional and “abortion will only be permissible in Poland in the case of rape, incest or a threat to the mother’s health and life” The Guardian reports. Poland’s government, which has the strictest abortion laws in all of Europe, was set to publish the ruling Tuesday, making the judgment legal and enforceable.
In light of the backlash, Poland’s president and prime minister have called for talks in order to find common ground. with President Duda, “[suggesting] a new proposal that would allow abortion in cases of life-threatening birth defects but not for conditions such as Down’s syndrome.” Meanwhile, the deputy prime minister has concerned himself with the safety and wellbeing of buildings, telling violent right-wing groups who have attacked protesters to “defend the churches” after some were defaced.