Abortion Activists Throw Smoke Bombs at Pro-Lifers to Disrupt March for Life

International   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   May 23, 2017   |   10:40AM   |   London, England

Neither the rain nor abortion activists stopped thousands of pro-life advocates from marching for the rights of unborn babies Saturday in England.

The Catholic Herald reports the fourth annual UK March for Life was held in Birmingham to mark 50 years since the nation legalized abortion.

Organizers said about 8.7 million unborn babies have been aborted since England implemented its Abortion Act in 1967. Abortions are legal for any reason up to 24 weeks and later in cases of fetal anomalies, rape, incest and danger to the mother’s life.

Event co-director Isabel Vaughan-Spruce told the newspaper that their goals are to raise awareness about the damage caused by abortion and inspire more people to work to protect life, beginning at conception.

“March for Life UK is now in its fourth year and has gone from strength to strength,” Vaughan-Spruce said. “Despite the rain and in the face of provocation, attendees behaved with a real spirit of joy. We have been overwhelmed by the 100 percent positive feedback we have received.”

Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com

Police became involved Saturday when abortion activists disrupted the march and threw smoke bombs.

Abortion activists blocked the march for a short time until additional police arrived and broke up their blockade, according to the report.

Journalist Corrina Turner described the abortion activists as “aggressive” and “noisy” as they attempted to block the march and drown out its speakers.

Turner wrote:

Unity was a theme that came up again and again. “The pro-life issue is a worldwide issue and we need to stick together,” said Mary from Cincinnati, USA.

But pro-choice protesters blocked the road, and the route of the march had to be changed – to no avail. Outside St Philip’s, the Anglican cathedral, the way was obstructed again, and the police didn’t dare allow us to pass the noisy demonstration in case we were attacked.

Anne from Cheltenham said: “The protest was so nasty, and it lasted so long, the only thing we could do was kneel and pray, and many of us knelt on the grass and said the rosary.” Eventually, after a long wait in continuous heavy rain, police reinforcements arrived, a cordon was put in place, at least one pro-choice protestor was marched off to a police van, and the soggy march continued.

March for Life leaders said one of the abortion activists also spit on a priest.

Speakers at the march included Live Action president and founder Lila Rose, former abortion clinic worker Catherine Adair and Aisling Hubert who engaged in a legal battle with UK abortionists who were caught agreeing to perform sex-selection abortions.

The theme this year was “Life from conception – no exception!”

Check out more images from the march below.