Embassy protest photo Sarah Sachs-Eldridge

Embassy protest photo Sarah Sachs-Eldridge   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Helena Byrne, Camden Socialist Party

The Socialist Party in London organised a demonstration outside the Irish embassy on 26 November in solidarity with a protest in Dublin to ‘Repeal the 8th’ amendment to the Irish constitution restricting abortion rights.

The demonstration was called as this was the first time that the newly convened Irish Citizens Assembly met to discuss the possibility of proceeding with a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment.

This was a delay tactic employed by the current government in Ireland to block any debate on the issue for at least another year. Meanwhile, people are forced to endure more undue financial stress and trauma for having to procure an abortion outside of Ireland.

Attendees at the demonstration signed a petition calling for support for the referendum which was handed into the embassy. The demonstration marked the beginning of a series of solidarity events that will take place in 2017.