Pro-abortion Assembly Members pass another stage of Bill to criminalise pro-life women and men
Precious Life said the MLAs who passed another stage of a bill to criminalise pro-life people must be "voted out" of the Assembly at the Election in May.
Director of Precious Life Bernadette Smyth said, “The aim of this draconian, oppressive and discriminatory bill is to criminalise women and men who hold pro-life vigils outside the abortion centres in Northern Ireland. Pro-abortion MLAs are hell-bent on getting the bill passed before the Assembly is dissolved at the end of March. Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill said the Bill to criminalise pro-life people was a “hugely important” issue and needed to be passed into law before the election.
"Any MLA who supports this draconian bill is not fit to hold public office and must be voted out."
The bill, which has been brought by pro-abortion Green Party leader Clare Bailey, was debated by MLAs in Stormont on Monday (14th March). Bailey, who previously worked with as a “death-scort” outside a Marie Stopes abortion centre, told MLAs that her oppressive bill was “urgently needed”. She admitted the aim of her bill is to CRIMINALISE ANYONE who talks to a woman going into an abortion centre - offers her help or support - or simply holds a pro-life sign - or even stands silently praying. Any woman or man convicted will be fined up to £2500
The bill was opposed by DUP MLAs and TUV leader Jim Allister, who said it will criminalise people and is unnecessary with existing public order laws. Mr Allister said the bill would create a “very sweeping” and “absolutist” office that would be “totalitarian” in nature. DUP MLA Pam Cameron said that legal concerns remain “unaddressed” and the bill “will almost certainly result in protracted legal action.”
The Bill passed its "Further Consideration Stage" with the support of Sinn Fein, SDLP, UUP, Alliance, Green Party, and PeopleBeforeProfit. A final stage debate and vote is set to take place on 24th March.
Bernadette Smyth added, “The support from these pro-abortion parties given to this draconian bill shows that when they don’t respect the most fundamental human right - the right to life itself – then all other rights are meaningless to them. These pro-abortion MLAs must be voted out of our Assembly and replaced with politicians who will uphold the rights to freedom of speech, and the right to life of every person – before and after birth."
She concluded, “We urge people to vote only for pro-life candidates in the forthcoming Assembly Election. If any candidate won’t give you a guarantee to uphold the right to life for babies in the womb, tell them you won’t give them your vote — no matter how appealing their other policies may be. If a candidate cannot respect the right to life of a little baby in the womb, they cannot be trusted to respect or uphold any of your rights or other issues that are important to you. On Thursday 5th May - VOTE PRO-LIFE.”