Over 17,000 people have signed a petition calling on Belfast City Council to cancel plans to light up City Hall to mark “International Safe Abortion Day”.
City Hall is currently set to be illuminated in green on 28 September following a decision in which Sinn Féin, the Alliance, the SDLP and the Green Party voted against the DUP on the matter 11 to 3.
Pro-life groups The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) and Precious Life have opposed the move and called for a protest on the day of the illumination. Bernadette Smyth, Director of Precious Life, described the planned illumination as a “diabolical celebration of abortion”.
As well as calling for protest, Precious Life has also initiated a petition demanding that the illumination be cancelled.
“Public resources and ratepayers’ money must not be used to promote and celebrate the killing of unborn babies”, the petition states, adding, “City Hall should be a symbol of Belfast, not a billboard for abortion.”
The petition accuses the council of wasting taxpayer resources on an issue that is highly contentious and divisive, and of “sending mixed messages to mothers who have lost an unborn child”.
Particular issue was taken with Sinn Féin and the SDLP supporting the public celebration of abortion. Both parties have previously supported the idea of Baby Loss Certificates, which acknowledge the loss of unborn children to a woman who suffers a miscarriage.
The idea of a “safe” abortion was also challenged.
“Safe abortion is an oxymoron. Abortion ends an unborn baby's life and leaves the mother facing a lifetime of loss. Everyone should acknowledge abortion as a tragedy,” the petition states.
“Women facing an unexpected pregnancy deserve compassion, practical support, and hope, not the lie that abortion is ever safe.”
At the time of writing, over 17,100 people had signed the petition.
