Ireland: Anti-abortion rally in Dublin May 12 /update 1

Event

Various pro-life organizations are scheduled to hold a rally in Dublin on Saturday, May 12. Supporters will gather at Merrion Square at 14:00 (local time) under the slogan “Rally for Life.” It is unclear how many people are expected to attend the event; over 10,000 people have participated in previous demonstrations. Localized traffic disruptions are anticipated around the rally. 

According to the event organizers, this rally will be the last held by the pro-life campaign before the controversial abortion referendum on Friday, May 25. Abortion continues to be a divisive issue in the Catholic-majority country and both pro-choice and pro-life supporters are set to carry out lengthy and active campaigns ahead of the referendum.

Context

The referendum will allow voters to decide if the 1983 constitutional ban on abortion is repealed. Under the Irish Constitution, a pregnant woman and an unborn child have equal rights and abortions are illegal in the vast majority of cases, with exceptions typically only granted, since 2013, if the life of the mother is in danger. Women who have had unsanctioned abortions face up to 14 years of imprisonment.

Ireland has recently faced international pressure, notably from the UN and the Council of Europe, to decriminalize abortion. According to the British Department of Health, some 3000 Irish women traveled to England in 2016 to have the procedure, although activists estimate numbers to be much higher.

Advice

Individuals in Ireland are advised to avoid all major demonstrations a precaution.