Two topless women interrupt Spanish senate to oppose anti-abortion summit
The president of the upper house had to ask for the women to be removed from the room
📷 | Desalojan del Senado a dos activistas de Femen que protestaban al grito de "aborto es sagrado" contra la cumbre internacional contra el aborto que tendrá lugar en la Cámara Alta https://t.co/dwlusmHayY pic.twitter.com/JYwI04p7ne
— Europa Press (@europapress) November 19, 2024
Two activists who belong to the group of activists Femen marched into the Spanish senate topless yesterday morning shouting, “Abortion is sacred”. The activists interrupted the plenary session with their cries against the anti-abortion summit that the upper house was hosting in December.
The group that the two women belonged to posted a message on their social media, stating that they “have just protested in the Senate plenary session against the anti-abortion summit that will take place in this chamber on December 2. Abortion is sacred, now and always. Our bodies, our rules!”
The abortion question in Spain has long been a much-discussed subject. The once heavily religious country has always had a large number of people who have strongly disagreed with the notion of abortion. However, in recent times such groups as Femen have tried to oppose such views.
The Spanish government has recently made advances by legalising abortion for girls as young as 16 without the need for parental consent and passing other laws to ensure the right to an abortion on the State social security system.
The two women who stormed the Senate this week were particularly upset by the planned international summit against the interruption of pregnancy that will be held in the senate on December 2. Many groups have asked the upper house board to withdraw the authorisation granted last July to an international association of anti-abortion politicians to hold the event.
In a joint initiative for debate and voting in the Equality Commission, they also demand that the guidelines for the provision of rooms be modified so that, while respecting plurality and freedom of expression, criteria are established that do not violate or promote the regression of rights and actions contrary to current legislation.
The Politicians Network for Values has, however, been authorised to hold its 6th transatlantic Summit in a Senate chamber, which will be attended by parliamentarians from American, European and African countries who are against abortion “from the moment of conception”.
For many people who will attend this summit, the ability taken upon others to decide when a pregnancy can be terminated is not acceptable. Their argument is that it is no different in the transgression to end a pregnancy at conception than it is after 14 weeks, which is the legal cut off period written in Spanish law.
The two women who marched into the senate topless, therefore, are protesting the right to control their decision to end a pregnancy as is written in Spanish law at this very moment.
Whether the protest and the means by which they were carried out will make people reconsider their opinions is yet to be seen.
For more information, news and what's on in your area do not forget to visit our homepage at Spanish News Today
Image: Senado De España
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
