Open Letter presented to Belfast City Council
Following an initiative by Precious Life, Christian and pro-life organisations have united to send an Open Letter to Belfast City Council calling for the rejection of plans to illuminate Belfast City Hall in celebration of abortion. The Open Letter, signed by a broad coalition of Christian, pro-life and pregnancy-support organisations, was delivered today (Tuesday 1st September) to the Council ahead of its full meeting this evening, when the illumination proposal is due to be considered. Every councillor on Belfast City Council has also received a copy of the Open Letter by email. Precious Life gathered with supporters outside Belfast City Hall at 5.00pm to make a public stand for the dignity of unborn life and against the proposed illumination.
The proposal to light up Belfast City Hall in celebration of abortion was approved at a Council Committee meeting and is currently scheduled to take place on Monday 28th September.
Public opposition to the proposal is being reflected in an online poll by Belfast Live, which has currently received almost 1,900 votes, with an overwhelming 98% voting “No” when asked: “Should Belfast City Hall be lit up to mark International Safe Abortion Day?” In addition, more than 18,000 people have signed a CitizenGO petition opposing the proposed abortion illuminations.
Bernadette Smyth, Director of Precious Life, said, “The strength of this Open Letter comes from the breadth of organisations standing together. Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, pro-life, pregnancy-support and Christian community groups have united to send Belfast City Council a clear and respectful message: City Hall is not a billboard for abortion. The more united our voice, the harder it will be for Belfast City Council to ignore. This historic civic building belongs to all the people of Belfast and should be a symbol that unites our city, not a platform for promoting one side of such a deeply contested issue.”
Ms Smyth added, “This illumination of City Hall would inevitably be seen as an endorsement by Belfast City Council of abortion. For thousands of people across Northern Ireland, abortion represents the loss of an innocent child, while Chris-tians and people of faith believe that every unborn child has inherent dignity and worth. Whatever one’s position on abortion, a publicly owned civic landmark should not be used to promote or celebrate one side of a divisive issue.”
Bernadette Smyth concluded, “We respectfully call upon Belfast City Council to reject this proposal and ensure that Belfast City Hall remains a symbol of unity be-longing to all the people of our city. City Hall should unite Belfast, not divide it. It should represent the people, not celebrate abortion. Belfast City Hall is not a bill-board for abortion.”