PR: Attacks escalate

PRESS RELEASE

Pro-abortion violence escalates as window smashed in pro-life office

20 November 2013

The Life Institute has called for politicians and abortion agencies to condemn escalating pro-abortion violence, after rocks were thrown through a window of the Life House in Capel Street by two hooded men.

An eye-witness told Gardai that two men wearing hoodies ran up to the office and threw rocks through the first floor window, before running away.

Youth Defence volunteers were shocked to find the window smashed on Saturday morning, with rocks and broken glass shards on the desks and chairs.

"It was upsetting. I sit at that desk, where the rock came through the window. How can abortion campaigners think that this sort of behaviour adds anything to the debate?" said Claire Molloy of Youth Defence. "It's horrible, senseless violence and it has no part in the debate."

Niamh Uí Bhriain of the Life Institute said that the violent and abusive behaviour of pro-abortion campaigners was "utterly unacceptable" and should be strongly condemned by political leaders and abortion agencies, lest their silence been seen as tacit approval of vandalism, violence and abusive behaviour.

"If pro-life people behaved like this, there would be uproar, and rightly so. But when abortion campaigners engage in violence and vandalism there is silence from the political establishment and from abortion agencies. Clearly, these extremists and violent agitators are taking that silence to be an indication that their behaviour is acceptable and not something to condemn," said Ms Uí Bhriain.

She called on the media to draw public attention to the attacks.

This is the seventh attack on the pro-life office in just over a year - other attacks included gluing the locks shut, and, in a truly grotesque and disturbing incident, sticking photographs of Savita Halappanavar to the office with huge quantities of faeces. Following an aggressive protest organised by left-wing activists in the summer, the bins outside the Youth Defence office were set on fire in the following days.

Ms Uí Bhriain said that the Life Institute and Youth Defence had compiled a file of serious incidents involving violent and abusive behaviour from abortion campaigners, with evidence from social media, security cameras and from eyewitnesses statements.

"This violence has to stop before someone is seriously injured or even killed by pro-abortion extremists," she said. "The Gardai are taking this matter very seriously and the additional evidence we've compiled should help their investigation."

"A pro-choice 'festival' was taking place in Abbey Street, on Friday night, the night the office was attacked. If the organisers know anything about the matter, they should contact the Gardai," she added.

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