Controversy after students stage anti-abortion protest at Cannon Park

Students have sparked backlash after they staged an anti-abortion protest at the entrance to Warwick campus on a University open day.

The demonstrators, comprised of current and former Warwick graduates, staged the protest at the south end of Cannon Park on 19 October.

The event was staged on behalf of the Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform UK (CBR UK), an anti-abortion organisation that says it aims to “[educate] society on the humanity and value of unborn children and the reality of ‘abortion’”.

[The protestors] held up large signs showing illustrations of an 8-week living embryo and a 10-week living foetus, and the photo of a 10-week aborted foetus

The protestors handed out leaflets and attempted to strike up conversations with passers-by.

They held up large signs showing illustrations of an 8-week living embryo and a 10-week living foetus, and the photo of a 10-week aborted foetus. They claimed the aim of this was to highlight what they perceived as the graphic reality of abortion.

Some of the protestors present had previously run as candidates in this year’s general election, in the Coventry South and Coventry North West constituencies.

One of these was Beth Richards, who graduated last year and stood in Coventry North West, coming last. She argued: “We believe that the most powerful way to [advocate for anti-abortion ideals] is primarily through imagery — a picture speaks a thousand words.

“And so, we’re out here showing images of what a baby looks like in the womb, and also what a baby that’s aborted looks like.”

That’s f*****g bulls***t and a lie! You should be ashamed of yourselves

Heckle from passer-by

Whilst some passers-by had extended conversations with the protestors, one young woman walking past heckled: “That’s f*****g bulls***t and a lie! You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Another young woman, a student at Warwick who witnessed the protest, said: “I get where they’re coming from […] I personally disagree with them. It was just a bit weird to be bombarded by them.”

Despite the pushback, one of the demonstrators, Joshua Morland, suggested that in general, they had “had so many great conversations with people” and that passers-by engaging with them had “generally been very polite”.

Morland, a recently graduated Warwick student, was president of Warwick’s Christian Union last year, and contested the Coventry South constituency at the recent general election.

He and Ms Richards both ran on behalf of ‘Vote Life’: a grouping of 22 candidates advocating the abolition of abortion in the UK, “[ending] taxpayer funding for abortion providers”, and instituting “reparations for women harmed by the abortion industry”.

Morland highlighted the range of activities CBR UK hopes to spearhead on campus. The organisation hosted a talk on campus in the spring term, where he claimed women gave their testimonies on how them having abortions turned them against the practice.

Notably, he said that students associated with the organisation have applied to start an anti-abortion society on campus, and that he wished for more debates to be organised on campus about abortion.

[One protestor] emphasised that any ban should not make exceptions for rape victims

When queried about the specific policy positions he advocated for, Morland suggested abortion should be banned unless continuing the pregnancy endangered the life of the mother.

He emphasised that any ban should not make exceptions for rape victims, alleging that abortion creates more trauma for rape victims, and that it leads to “an innocent bystander victim being killed”.

Another campaigner, Becca, reiterated this view, claiming that in some cases carrying a child that was the product of rape to term had “saved the woman”.

In England, abortions are allowed to take place up to 24 weeks into a pregnancy, if two doctors have confirmed that continuing the pregnancy would “risk […] injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman” or any of their children.

Beyond the 24-week limit, women are only allowed to have an abortion if continuing the pregnancy would endanger the woman’s life, cause “grave permanent injury” to their physical or mental health, or if there is a severe foetal abnormality.

Reproductive autonomy is a fundamental right for all people, and the idea that this right should be stolen from people seeking abortions is an extreme instance of sexism

Warwick Anti-Sexism Society statement

Since it took place, the anti-abortion protest has sparked an outcry from other student groups at Warwick. Speaking to The Boar, the Warwick Anti-Sexism Society said it had been “appalled” by the demonstration.

A spokesperson said: “Reproductive autonomy is a fundamental right for all people, and the idea that this right should be stolen from people seeking abortions is an extreme instance of sexism. Despite this, anti-abortion campaigners were on our campus on Saturday.

“Especially concerning, is that one of these campaigners, a Warwick student, ran for Coventry South MP in the last general election, under a single-issue campaign to criminalise abortion. This illustrates that this is a greater issue than students demonstrating their opinions. They are actively endorsing the banning of the right to abortion nationally.”

The group argued that the University’s “lack of action” against the protest violated its Dignity Principles, and that an element of hypocrisy was evident in how they responded to a protest held by Warwick RIOT on the same day, staged in the morning around campus.

They added that: “We are disturbed to hear that this group are attempting to establish an official society under the Warwick SU.

“Considering the SU’s multiple campaigns surrounding student safety, sexual health, and consent, we would expect the SU to disallow this without question due to its contradiction to the SU’s stated values and principles.”