Opened in Warsaw

“Bloody” protest against abortion clinic

These opponents of abortion make it abundantly clear what they think of the new institution.(Bild: APA/AFP/Wojtek RADWANSKI)

Activists have caused quite a stir with the opening of an "abortion clinic" near the Polish parliament in Warsaw. Protests against the facility promptly erupted on Saturday.

"For us, it is a place of political protest," said Natalia Broniarczyk from the "Abortion Dream Team" initiative, according to a report by the PAP news agency. The aim is to help women and at the same time exert pressure on politicians during the current presidential election campaign. The clinic will provide information on safe abortion options and offer free pregnancy tests.

Abortion pills by post
The center also wants to work with the online initiative "Women on Web", which sends women abortion pills by post if required. The medication can then be taken at the new center in Warsaw in the presence of other women.

The protesters had set up their own bloody information stand in front of the facility.(Bild: APA/AFP/Wojtek RADWANSKI)

Around 40 anti-abortion protesters gathered in front of the doors of the new facility on the very opening day, ranting against the information center with a bloody toy doll in a bucket, pictures of skeletons and even Adolf Hitler. Legal abortion is only permitted in very rare cases in Poland, which is heavily Catholic: If there is a danger to the life or health of the expectant mother or if the pregnancy is the result of a criminal act such as rape or incest.

Activists confront Tusk with election promises
In 2020, the Constitutional Court declared abortions for severe deformities to be unconstitutional. Women's organizations accuse Prime Minister Donald Tusk's governing parties of failing to keep their election promise to relax abortion rights