Solidarity protest in Nicosia in support of Polish women

Dozens of women dressed in black gathered outside the Polish embassy on Thursday to protest against an almost-total abortion ban ruling in their home country.

The masked protesters, abiding by the social distancing measures, met at 3.30pm outside the embassy on Kennedy Avenue in Nicosia and marched around the building in Polish “women in protest”.

The protest was in solidarity with demonstrations in their home country against the top-court’s decision to ban abortions in cases of foetal defects, leaving women the choice to abort only in cases of rape, incest or if their life was at risk.

There were placards reading “real men are feminists”, “my body my choice” and “no uterus no opinion” in the predominant colours of black, white and red.

Some women were holding black umbrellas.

Organisers of the protest brought speakers and put on music, including Michael Jackson’s ‘They don’t’ care about us’.

Women who could not participate the protest in Nicosia posted pictures of themselves holding placards with slogans on the Facebook page of the group organising the protest. https://www.facebook.com/groups/378218179892165

Poland’s ruling party attempted to impose a ban on abortion twice in the last five years and has received a nationwide reaction. The recent ruling came from constitutional tribunal, the constitutional court of the Republic of Poland.

After the announcement of the abortion ruling, thousands of people in Poland defied Covid-19 restrictions that ban public gatherings of more than five people and took on the streets to protest against it.

 

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