Small group of Londoners counter-protest to take a stand for reproductive rights

A small group of abortion rights activists in London counter-protested the anti-abortion “Life Chain” event in front of Victoria Hospital on Sunday.

Local churches and anti-abortion protesters  participated in what is known as the “Life Chain,” an annual anti-abortion event held across cities in North America on the first Sunday in October since 1987. In London, this protest was held in front of Victoria Hospital at the corner of Wellington Road and Commissioners Road — but protesters were met with a counter-protest by London Reproductive Justice, a local group that advocates for abortion and reproductive rights.

The counter-protesters arrived around 1 p.m., half an hour before the scheduled Life Chain protest, and took up the side of the intersection usually occupied by anti-abortion protesters. This was a welcome change to many frequenters of the intersection — several women stopped to thank the counter-protesters.

But the pro-choice sentiment wasn’t welcomed by all. After a pair of paramedics in an ambulance waved in support, one man yelled “stop killing babies” before driving off.

The anti-abortion groups first arrived at 1:30 p.m. and settled perpendicular to the counter-protesters at the intersection. At that point, the abortion rights group consisted of about eight people on the side of Commissioners Road in front of the Victoria Hospital gate, and about five anti-abortion protesters gathered along the Wellington Road side of the gate. 

Amariee Collins, a midwife from the United States, attended the counter-protest to support women’s rights. 

“My job and my life’s work has been to be with women, and that is in all capacities, and so that is whatever she is choosing to do with her body, whatever support that she needs.”

As more people came to join the anti-abortion group, they walked towards the expected spot on Commissioners Road but were confused as they read the pro-choice signage displayed. 

Separating the two groups was a large range of colourful signs and posters from the reproductive justice counter-protests, with statements like “Abortion is healthcare,” “keep your theology out of my biology,” and “honk for pro-choice”. The anti-abortion side mostly had pre-printed materials with images of children and fetuses with statements like “choose life,” “pray to end abortion,” and “abortion kills children”.

“The pro-life movement has killed people,” said Collins, recalling the murder of Dr. George Tiller, the obstetrician and gynecologist who performed her abortion in the U.S., by an anti-abortion extremist. Tiller was killed while serving as an usher at a church. “I just think it’s hypocritical to say you are pro-life and you hate people.”

As the number of anti-abortion protesters quickly grew to over 50 people, some protesters crossed over to the Commissioners Road side of the intersection —  standing between counter-protesters to try to dispel the opinions of the reproductive justice group. Drivers approaching the intersection from Commissioners were visibly confused by which message was being shared by the groups — some reacted to the messages separately by giving thumbs down and thumbs up to the different sides as they passed by. 

One woman in a car driving by argued heatedly with an anti-abortion protester, giving a thumbs down as the car drove across. Then she realized there were pro-choice protesters in the mix, too — she waved and honked in support before driving away.

As the numbers of anti-abortion protesters continued to rise, the organizers of the counter-protest chose to move to the opposite corner along the Wellington Corners plaza. The small group, now 10 counter-protesters strong, incurred a large response — receiving many favourable honks from passers-by and thanks from several women at the intersection.

“The support that we are having here on this corner — the honks and the thumbs ups that we have been getting from the community around — has been very empowering,” said Collins. 

Opposite this corner, in front of the hospital, the chain of anti-abortion protesters grew to over 125 people.

“I was disappointed with the turnout on our side,” said Deanna Ronson, board director and media spokesperson at the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, in an email to Antler River Media Co-operative.

“I’m not sure if folks believe [that] what has happened in the States with the overturning of Roe v. Wade could never happen here…personally, I feel very concerned about the possibility of Pierre Poilievre winning the next federal election. I’m afraid that a variety of human rights may come under attack if he wins.” 

The anti-abortion group included many Christian organizations, with several nuns and priests lining up along the chain. However, Reverend Joshua Lawrence, minister of worship and congregational life at First-St Andrew’s United Church in London, joined the pro-choice counter-protest.

“I am absolutely for life, which is why I stand on the side of women,” Lawrence explained. “I can’t say I’m a person of faith if I’m not willing to put my faith into action. And standing in solidarity with people is one of the ways I know I can put my faith in action — that’s why I’m here.”

Rev. Lawrence was disappointed with the lack of turnout to the counter-protest. 

“I think a lot of people are probably convinced that [the removal of abortion protection] is not going to happen, that they’ll keep having access. But as we’ve seen just to the south of the border and in countless other places, you can’t take these things for granted. They have to be fought for constantly.”

Ronson echoed the sentiment, saying she would love to see more organizations band together to fight for reproductive justice locally and provincially. She is hopeful for a larger turnout at future abortion rights protests in London. 

“I hope that Londoners will realize that there is still a lot of work to be done to counter the vocal message coming from anti-abortionists,” she said.

Ronson believes that reproductive justice is intrinsically tied to the missions of other human rights organizations — the right to live and play in a safe space, without fear of violence, without threat to our physical, mental or financial ability.

“Environmental/climate justice is reproductive justice (we all deserve to live and play in a safe space),” read her email to Antler River Media. “Justice for missing and murdered Indigenous people is reproductive justice (Indigenous people deserve to live without fear of violence). Paid leave is reproductive justice (we all deserve not to have to choose between getting paid or taking time off to care for an infant or sick family member). Justice for people with mental illness is reproductive justice (a mental health diagnosis does not make you a bad parent), and so on.”