LIFE CHAIN' at Belfast City Hall commemorates NI abortion anniversary

  

The North of Ireland's leading pro-life group Precious Life held a “Life Chain” at Belfast City Hall on Saturday 21st October 2023 at 2.00pm. The event was to mark the 4th anniversary of Westminster forcing abortion on Northern Ireland, and in remembrance of the babies killed since then.

Director of Precious Life, Bernadette Smyth said, “On 21st October 2019, while Stormont was suspended, abortion was forced on Northern Ireland by the Westminster Parliament through Section 9 of the NI Executive Formation Act. 

“To mark this anniversary, Precious Life has organised a LIFE CHAIN event in Belfast. Pro-life people from across Northern Ireland will line the pavement outside City Hall in remembrance of all those innocent babies who have lost their lives to Westminster’s unjust and barbaric legislation. 4136 babies killed by abortion is the most recent official figure from last November, so I dread to think of what the true death toll is now.”

“At the gates of the City Hall, a poignant display of baby shoes will be laid out to form the number 4 1 3 6 - each with a boy or girl's name attached. Each pair of baby shoes represents an innocent life cruelly taken by the injustice of the abortion legislation that was forced on Northern Ireland by the Westminster government."

It is understood the costs of abortion could be £5million for Northern Ireland. Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said providing abortions is the only part of Northern Ireland public spending in 2023 that is 'ringfenced' - meaning funding for abortions is guaranteed.

Mrs Smyth added, “While the Health Service in Northern Ireland is in crisis due to lack of funds, killing babies in the womb is prioritised over everything else. Northern Ireland has the worst waiting times of any UK region. It could take up to 10 years to tackle Northern Ireland's current waiting lists, with more than 300,000 people currently waiting for genuine medical treatment, Yet Westminster has guaranteed ring-fenced funds for the killing of our unborn babies in Northern Ireland.”

Bernadette Smyth concluded, 

“Every child deserves to be protected from the barbaric practice of abortion, and every woman in an unexpected pregnancy deserves genuine life-affirming healthcare and support. Women in Northern Ireland deserve better than abortion. Our Repeal Section 9 Campaign will continue. We will never forget those precious babies killed by abortion. We will never rest and never give up until the personhood of every unborn baby is restored, and their human rights protected in law, policy and practice in Northern Ireland.” 

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