“Abortion is sacred” greased on topless, tattooed abortion supporters and groups of 100,000 or more abortion opponents have marked the recent debate in Spain over legalized abortion. This year, there is a new obstacle, as peaceful witnesses in the local 40 Days for Life campaign have been threatened with intimidation, arrest, and imprisonment.
In 2022, Spain expanded their penal code to imprison and punish anyone who “in order to hinder the exercise of the right to voluntary interruption of pregnancy, harasses a woman through annoying, offensive, intimidating, or coercive acts that undermine her freedom.” Additional prohibitions were added for hindering abortionists in the “exercise of their profession”. The law was designed and has the effect of inhibiting and harrassing pro-life witnesses at abortion clinics.
The 40 Days for Life Campaign has had to adjust its procedures to protect volunteers. These adjustments include filming the volunteers during each prayer vigil at every 40 Days for Life location. Filming helps to deter individuals who may harass or interfere with the work of saving babies, reduces false accusations, and can also exculpate pro-lifers who are unjustly targeted by local police.
READ: Spain’s ‘Yes to Life’ march unites thousands to celebrate and promote the right to life
The law has also emboldened pro-abortion activists. Near a college campus campaign in Madrid, abortion advocates pasted printed signs on the metal poles that stated: “Attention: Dangerous religious fundamentalists on the loose,” “STOP fanaticism,” “40 Days of hating women” and “40 days against human rights.” But little else is more fanatical or demonstrates more hatred for human rights than persecuting peaceful pro-lifers or facilitating the killing of nascent human life.
Not to be outdone, the 40 Days for Life campaign in Spain released images mocking the attempted intimidation. In particular, one post states “Day 1 of the campaign: Danger!! Religious fundamentalist on the loose… armed with a rosary.”
In other Instagram posts, inspiration is provided by ‘If God is with us, who can be against us?” and “Courage… I have overcome the world.”
