Scottish Catholic Observer

In a symbolic gesture, the activists pushed five empty prams, representing the 500,000 lives lost to abortion in Scotland, to the front door of Edinburgh’s Bute House, the residence of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, on April 27.

The petition, signed by 15,000 supporters of pro-life charity SPUC, opposes proposals for the decriminalisation of abortion.

John Deighan, CEO of SPUC Scotland, said: “We are delivering this petition at a time when pro-abortion groups are pushing for the extension of abortion limits under their decriminalisation campaign.”

Mr Deighan, pointing to a recent ComRes poll that found 32 per cent of young adults think abortion should never be permitted, called on the First Minister to ‘heed the growing concerns, especially coming from young adults who are increasingly committed to protecting the right to life of all people.’

Rebecca Kidd, a 21-year-old student from Dundee, said that she felt it was important for her to be there as ‘even on both sides of the debate people can see that [decriminalisation] is a step too far,’ adding that she was there ‘to make people aware that it is happening but its being kept silent.’

Catherine Farrelly, a student from Paisley, said that she took part in the demonstration ‘to commemorate those lives which have been lost in a hope that we can have a future where we don’t have abortion anymore.’

Alison Hall, who had an abortion as a young vulnerable women said that she hoped her presence there would lead to ‘more openness and increased awareness’ allowing ‘women to be able to talk and share, that’s going to help women.’

She added that she hoped there would be ‘more support for people in crisis pregnancies to feel that there’s a hand to help you, there’s a councillor there to help you to have the baby.’