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| Activists take 'abortion pills' during pro-choice rally in Belfast | Activists take 'abortion pills' during pro-choice rally in Belfast |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pro-choice campaigners have taken what they said were abortion pills outside courts in Northern Ireland in defiance of the region’s strict laws on terminations. | Pro-choice campaigners have taken what they said were abortion pills outside courts in Northern Ireland in defiance of the region’s strict laws on terminations. |
| Amid tense scenes at a rally in Belfast, police seized some pills and a robot used by the activists to distribute them. | Amid tense scenes at a rally in Belfast, police seized some pills and a robot used by the activists to distribute them. |
| Officers also attempted to remove one woman who took a tablet in front of the high court building. They led her away from the demonstration and a vocal standoff ensued, with fellow campaigners quickly surrounding her and demanding she not be arrested. | |
| Following the Irish referendum, Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK and Ireland – and most of Europe – where terminations are outlawed apart from in the most exceptional circumstances. | Following the Irish referendum, Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK and Ireland – and most of Europe – where terminations are outlawed apart from in the most exceptional circumstances. |
| The UK Abortion Act of 1967 was never extended to Northern Ireland, and abortion remains illegal unless the life or mental health of the mother is at risk. Northern Ireland has the harshest criminal penalty for abortion anywhere in Europe; in theory, life imprisonment can be handed down to a woman undergoing an unlawful abortion. | The UK Abortion Act of 1967 was never extended to Northern Ireland, and abortion remains illegal unless the life or mental health of the mother is at risk. Northern Ireland has the harshest criminal penalty for abortion anywhere in Europe; in theory, life imprisonment can be handed down to a woman undergoing an unlawful abortion. |
| Fatal foetal abnormalities and conceptions by rape or incest are not lawful grounds for a termination. | Fatal foetal abnormalities and conceptions by rape or incest are not lawful grounds for a termination. |
| Most politicians in Northern Ireland – Catholic and Protestant – do not favour reform, despite the UN saying the UK was violating the rights of women in Northern Ireland by restricting their access to abortion. | Most politicians in Northern Ireland – Catholic and Protestant – do not favour reform, despite the UN saying the UK was violating the rights of women in Northern Ireland by restricting their access to abortion. |
| In 2016 more than 700 women from Northern Ireland crossed the Irish Sea to clinics in Britain to terminate pregnancies. | In 2016 more than 700 women from Northern Ireland crossed the Irish Sea to clinics in Britain to terminate pregnancies. |
| After several minutes, the officers, on instruction from the inspector in command of the operation, abandoned their attempt to speak to the woman. | After several minutes, the officers, on instruction from the inspector in command of the operation, abandoned their attempt to speak to the woman. |
| Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where abortion is not legal, aside from exceptional cases. | Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where abortion is not legal, aside from exceptional cases. |
| The rally outside Belfast’s high court and crown court came days after the Republic of Ireland voted in a referendum to overturn its near-blanket ban on abortion. | |
| Eleanor Crossey Malone, from the socialist feminist movement Rosa, was one of those who took the pill in front of television cameras. | Eleanor Crossey Malone, from the socialist feminist movement Rosa, was one of those who took the pill in front of television cameras. |
| “I have taken this in defiance of the extremely outdated, medieval, anti-choice laws that exist in Northern Ireland,” she said. “We are not willing in the wake of the repeal referendum to be left behind any longer. | “I have taken this in defiance of the extremely outdated, medieval, anti-choice laws that exist in Northern Ireland,” she said. “We are not willing in the wake of the repeal referendum to be left behind any longer. |
| “Northern Ireland after repeal will be one of only two jurisdictions remaining in Europe to criminalise women effectively for having abortions. We are not willing to accept it any more.” | “Northern Ireland after repeal will be one of only two jurisdictions remaining in Europe to criminalise women effectively for having abortions. We are not willing to accept it any more.” |
| Taking an abortion pill is illegal in Northern Ireland if the intent is to cause a miscarriage. The women who took the pills said they did not wish to disclose whether they were pregnant. | Taking an abortion pill is illegal in Northern Ireland if the intent is to cause a miscarriage. The women who took the pills said they did not wish to disclose whether they were pregnant. |
| Earlier, pro-choice campaigners addressed the crowd, among them the Irish parliamentarian Ruth Coppinger. | Earlier, pro-choice campaigners addressed the crowd, among them the Irish parliamentarian Ruth Coppinger. |
| Coppinger said it was an “outrage” that the 1967 Abortion Act that applies elsewhere in the UK had not been extended to Northern Ireland. “There is no way that Northern Ireland is going to get left behind,” she said. | Coppinger said it was an “outrage” that the 1967 Abortion Act that applies elsewhere in the UK had not been extended to Northern Ireland. “There is no way that Northern Ireland is going to get left behind,” she said. |
| Bernie Smyth, an anti-abortion activist who led a counter demonstration, described the incident as a “publicity stunt”. | Bernie Smyth, an anti-abortion activist who led a counter demonstration, described the incident as a “publicity stunt”. |
| “We are very concerned about what is happening here today and we welcome the presence of the PSNI to ensure that our laws are upheld here in Northern Ireland,” she said. “Our laws matter because every life matters.” | “We are very concerned about what is happening here today and we welcome the presence of the PSNI to ensure that our laws are upheld here in Northern Ireland,” she said. “Our laws matter because every life matters.” |
| After a tense hour-long encounter staged in an open area between the court buildings, the pro-choice activists boarded a bus. They drove towards the Lisburn constituency office of the anti-abortion Democratic Unionist party to continue their day of protest. | After a tense hour-long encounter staged in an open area between the court buildings, the pro-choice activists boarded a bus. They drove towards the Lisburn constituency office of the anti-abortion Democratic Unionist party to continue their day of protest. |
| The former DUP health minister Jim Wells watched from the other side of the road as the activists picketed the party offices. | The former DUP health minister Jim Wells watched from the other side of the road as the activists picketed the party offices. |
| Theresa May has come under pressure to legislate for abortion in Northern Ireland as the Stormont assembly has been suspended for months. | Theresa May has come under pressure to legislate for abortion in Northern Ireland as the Stormont assembly has been suspended for months. |
| Wells said the prime minister would “endanger” her confidence and supply deal with the DUP at Westminster if she moved to change abortion laws in the region. | Wells said the prime minister would “endanger” her confidence and supply deal with the DUP at Westminster if she moved to change abortion laws in the region. |
| He said the issue was crucial to the survival of the deal. “I believe Theresa May is not going to endanger the supply and confidence arrangement on this issue,” he said. | He said the issue was crucial to the survival of the deal. “I believe Theresa May is not going to endanger the supply and confidence arrangement on this issue,” he said. |
| The earlier event at the courts in Belfast saw Crossey Malone and two other activists gather in a circle while others dressed as handmaids – in reference to the Margaret Atwood novel The Handmaid’s Tale, which is about women’s rights being stripped away – stood behind them. The three women then took the tablets. | The earlier event at the courts in Belfast saw Crossey Malone and two other activists gather in a circle while others dressed as handmaids – in reference to the Margaret Atwood novel The Handmaid’s Tale, which is about women’s rights being stripped away – stood behind them. The three women then took the tablets. |
| Crossey Malone said: “Women every day in Northern Ireland are using these pills – as long as we don’t talk about it, as long as we act like it is a secret, politicians are not under pressure to legislate on this. | Crossey Malone said: “Women every day in Northern Ireland are using these pills – as long as we don’t talk about it, as long as we act like it is a secret, politicians are not under pressure to legislate on this. |
| “We are bringing it into the spotlight in order to demand that politicians take action on this immediately and extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.” | “We are bringing it into the spotlight in order to demand that politicians take action on this immediately and extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.” |
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