BELFAST CITY COUNCIL HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE THE VOICE OF THOUSANDS
Precious Life is deeply disappointed and angered by Belfast City Council’s decision to approve the illumination of Belfast City Hall in celebration of abortion.
This is a profound insult to the thousands of people across Belfast and Northern Ireland who made their opposition clear.
In the days leading up to the council's decision, thousands of people contacted Belfast City Council, submitted complaints and urged councillors to reject the proposal. Almost 19,000 people signed the Precious Life petition calling on the Council to say NO to the use of Belfast City Hall to promote and celebrate abortion.
Pro-life organisations and Christian groups from across Northern Ireland also stood together in a united Open Letter, calling on Belfast City Council to reject the proposal. The message was clear: Belfast City Hall is not a billboard for abortion.
The public opposition was further demonstrated by a Belfast Live poll in which 98% of almost 2,000 respondents voted NO to the proposed illumination.
Yet despite this overwhelming public opposition, Belfast City Council has chosen to ignore the voices of thousands of its own citizens.
Belfast City Hall is a civic landmark belonging to all the people of Belfast. It should be a symbol of unity, not a platform for promoting one side of an divisive moral and political issue.
For thousands of people, abortion is not something to celebrate. It represents the loss of an innocent unborn child. Behind every abortion is a human life that has ended, as well as women and families who may be left carrying grief, pain and regret.
To illuminate City Hall in celebration of abortion is therefore deeply offensive to all those who believe that every unborn child has inherent dignity and the right to life.
It is particularly disturbing that Belfast City Council has been presented with such a clear expression of public opposition and has nevertheless chosen to proceed.
The petition signatures and the overwhelming NO vote in the Belfast Live poll result, the Open Letter, and the thousands of complaints and messages sent directly to the Council demonstrate that this is not the voice of a tiny minority.
The people have spoken but the Council has simply chosen not to listen.
Precious Life will not be silent. We will continue to stand peacefully and publicly for the unborn child and for women who deserve genuine compassion, practical support and hope rather than abortion being presented as the answer. Every unborn child is a precious human life worthy of protection.
If Belfast City Hall is illuminated to celebrate abortion on 28 September, Precious Life will be there to ensure that the true reality of abortion is exposed.
We will remember the unborn children whose lives have been lost.
We will stand with women and families affected by abortion.
And we will give a voice to the children who can no longer speak for themselves.
Belfast City Hall is not a billboard for abortion. City Council does not speak for us. The abortion illumination is NOT IN OUR NAME.