Reclaim: Our positive day street canvassing - and the aggression of abortion supporters

A group of us, young and passionate about the pro-life movement, hit the streets of Dublin yet again for our street canvassing on a crisp November day. 

With posters in hand bearing pro-life messages such as information about abortion pill reversal, we were prepared for another day of meaningful conversations. We engaged with a variety of people—both supporters and those with opposing views—but the response was generally positive. It was great to see the engagement in conversations about abortion.

However, the day took an unexpected and disturbing turn when two young women approached our table. Initially, thinking they might simply want to engage in conversation, as we often encounter people eager to discuss our views but instead, they aggressively started knocking things off the table. 

Before we could even process what was happening, they grabbed two of our expensive baby models and threw them into the air. The heaviest one landed on a passing child, an ironic and tragic moment considering the very message we were trying to share—the value of every life, no matter how small.

      

As the situation escalated, one of our team members tried to reason with one of the girls but  they didn’t want to discuss the issue.  Within moments, a group of Gardaí were at the scene, quickly arresting the two young women and taking them to the police van. While their aggression was quite shocking and unsettling, it didn’t deter us from continuing our important work.

The day had many highlights. One of the most beautiful moments came when a family with seven children approached us. The children were absolutely fascinated by the baby models, marveling at their realistic detail. We spent time explaining the significance of the models and showing them how a baby develops in the womb. The awe and wonder in their eyes were heartwarming and reminded us of the importance of what we were doing.

Another powerful conversation we had was with a woman who admitted to providing abortions. Unfortunately, she seemed completely convinced that she was helping women, dismissing the humanity of the baby in the womb entirely. There was little room for rational discussion with her, but I realized that what she needed most was our prayers.

In the end, we left the streets of Dublin with being confirmed once again how important our work is. Although the day’s events were filled with both confrontation and beauty, it was a reminder of the deep divisions in society over the issue of life. But it also affirmed our commitment to advocating for the unborn, and we know that the fight for life will continue—through conversations, through prayer, and through standing firm in our convictions.

     

    

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Sandra Parda