With just a few days to go until a historic referendum that would see Irish women finally given the same abortion rights as the UK, the debate between Yes and No voters has reached new heights. Literally.
Yesterday a giant ‘No’ visible from Dublin, was placed on Montpellier Hill in the city’s mountains. The 160 foot tall sign appeared just before 5pm, and already an anti-abortion group has claimed responsibility for the stunt, saying it had been erected as a last-ditch attempt for “more innovative methods of communication”.
A spokesperson for the group told The Journal: “It was seen as a necessity following the removal of [another no sign] at the weekend by pro-abortion activists.”
Meanwhile, as the increasingly elaborate tit-for-tat stunt battle rages on, up to 12 Irish women are forced to leave the country every day to seek healthcare in the UK. Those that can’t leave Ireland are forced to risk their health by taking illegal pills, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Those that can’t end their pregnancies are forced to continue despite dangers to their own health.
On Friday millions of Irish men and women will decide whether that should still happen in the 21st Century as they vote on whether to repeal the 8th Amendment. Let’s hope bizarre stunts like this one don’t factor into their decision