Clash of abortion rallies: Pro-choice protesters’ rally meets pro-life rally in Auckland’s Aotea square

NZ Herald 25 May 2019
Family First Comment: Superb work from pro-lifers….
“Catherine Gillies, from Voice for Life, stood behind the speeches with a placard picturing a woman wrapped in barbed wire. Gillies said the image represented “the mess” of a woman after an abortion, trying to heal. Gillies said New Zealand can’t afford to loosen our current abortion laws. “We are trying to defend the rights of all people – the rights of the babies and the rights of the women.””

Crowds of pro-choice and pro-life protesters faced off in Auckland’s Aotea Square today during rallies on New Zealand’s abortion regulations, after stringent laws were passed in several states in America.

The two rallies kicked off at midday in central Auckland, with speeches from the pro-choice assembly making way to loud arguments between the groups.

A confrontation started when a middle-aged man wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat took issue with two young women, who carried a sign reading “Keep your rosaries away from my ovaries”.

Currently, New Zealand law allows for abortion to be performed only to save the life of the mother, or to preserve her physical or mental health – and only if the procedure is approved by two doctors or consultants.

MPs will vote on new legislation that would remove abortion from the Crimes Act and remove the barriers women currently have to go through.

Catherine Gillies, from Voice for Life, stood behind the speeches with a placard picturing a woman wrapped in barbed wire. Gillies said the image represented “the mess” of a woman after an abortion, trying to heal.

Gillies said New Zealand can’t afford to loosen our current abortion laws.

“We are trying to defend the rights of all people – the rights of the babies and the rights of the women. Because most women are bullied into it.”
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=12234329&ref=twitter  (behind paywall)

Abortion debate heats up in Auckland
Radio NZ News 25 May 2019
Campaigners from both sides of the abortion debate have had heated discussions during rallies held at the same time in Auckland’s Aotea Square on Saturday.

MPs Deborah Russell and Marama Davidson were among the speakers who addressed the pro-choice crowd of about 200 people.

The rally was organised in a matter of days to show solidarity for people affected by recent law changes in the US.

Alabama’s governor last week signed into law the most stringent abortion legislation in the US, making deliberate abortion a crime in nearly all cases.

Judith Rotherham, who is against abortion, said the debate had been mostly friendly, with only a few cases where the discussions were getting aggressive.

She said it was important to be at the rally, countering the other side’s argument in a reasonable way.

“We’re very committed to being positive, constructive, kind, engaging in proper discussion.”

“Not to harass or put down, that’s very important to our values,” she said.
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/390518/abortion-debate-heats-up-in-auckland