On September 28, a group of pro-abortion women firebombed and attempted to burn down the doors of the Catholic Primatial Cathedral in Bogotá, Colombia, and sprayed pro-abortion graffiti on the walls. According to the Catholic News Agency, officials from the mayor’s office were present and took no action to stop the attack.
The pro-abortion group was taking part in the Day for the Decriminalization and Legalization of Abortion, and its members demanded abortion be expanded in Colombia. Abortion was legalized in the nation on February 21 when the Constitutional Court decriminalized abortion prior to 24 weeks — creating the least restrictive abortion laws in Latin America.
“We reject all forms of violence in actions and words, we demand civility on the part of the promoters and participants of marches and protests, we ask the authorities to guarantee the life, honor, and property of citizens,” the Archdiocese of Bogotá said in a statement on September 29.
The Archdiocese was joined in its condemnation of the arson and vandalism by United for Life, the Catholic Solidarity Movement, and pro-life members of Congress.
“We reject the acts of violence and intolerance that occurred yesterday by a group of marchers in defense of abortion. The attacks against believers and the attempted incineration of the doors of the Primatial Cathedral of Colombia are unacceptable,” said the Pro-life Caucus of the Colombian Congress.
The Catholic Solidarity Movement said that Mayor Claudia López has “dismantled the reaction capacity of the police,” allowing the attack to take place. “When a crime such as murder by abortion, which is in the Penal Code, is legitimized, these young women believe that they can commit any other crime,” said the group.
The group planned to file a complaint against the pro-abortion women “for the alleged crimes of damage to the property of others, rioting, damage to the public good, disrespect for beliefs, vandalism, terrorism, attempted murder, [and] conspiracy to commit a crime.”
According to the director of the National Police, General Henry Sanabria, four women were taken into custody.
