On September 19, despite ongoing Corona restrictions, Christian fundamentalists will be travelling from all over to join the “March for Life” in Berlin – an anti-abortion protest was attended by several thousand participants in recent years. This year, as usual, loud and colourful counter-protests will be taking place in close proximity to the silent march.
The Bündnis für sexuelle Selbstbestimmung (Alliance for Sexual Self-Determination) is hosting a rally from 12-2pm at the Brandenburg Gate, near Pariser Platz, with a range of cultural acts and speakers on LGBTI and abortion rights in both English and German. The radical left group What the Fuck is also organising disruptive activities throughout the day.
Given that next year is not just an election year, 2021 also marks 150 years of organised resistance against the criminialisation of abortion in Germany, it’s an important moment for the burgeoning pro-choice movement, which has grown rapidly since the high-profile court case involving Kristina Hänel, a doctor who was charged 6,000 euros for providing basic information about abortion on her website. People are increasingly aware of the problems caused by the restrictive laws and are taking a stand against attempts by religious fundamentalists and far-right bigots to further restrict access to abortion and undermine LGBTI and women’s rights.
