The “Życie i Rodzina” Foundation, led by Kaja Godek, sparked outrage during a protest outside a Gdańsk hospital with a banner resembling the Auschwitz gate inscription.
Anti-Abortion Protests Continue in Gdańsk
The “Życie i Rodzina” Foundation, headed by Kaja Godek, held another anti-abortion protest on Sunday, April 19th, outside the St. Wojciech Hospital in Gdańsk. These protests have been ongoing since December, occurring on the third Sunday of each month.
Protesters claim the St. Wojciech Hospital is a “black spot on Poland’s abortion map.” While the hospital does perform legal abortions when the patient’s health or life is at risk, Godek’s foundation disputes this, alleging at least seven illegal abortions have taken place.
Provocative Banners and Imagery
The protests have been marked by controversial banners, including images of bloodied fetuses and Adolf Hitler with a swastika, accompanied by the text “Legal abortion introduced for Polish women by Adolf Hitler.” Children have also been present at the protests, potentially exposed to traumatic imagery.
Banner Mimics Auschwitz Inscription
During the latest protest, participants displayed a banner with the phrase “Aborcja czyni wolnym” (Abortion makes you free), styled to resemble the “Arbeit Macht Frei” inscription at the entrance to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The banner was prominently visible to those entering the hospital.
Confrontation with City Official
After approximately half an hour, Gdańsk official Joanna Pińska, accompanied by a police officer, approached the protesters regarding noise complaints from local residents. Kaja Godek accused Pińska of censoring the public assembly and ordered her to “leave and stop bothering the coordinator,” ignoring the presence of the police officer.
Foundation representatives argued that regulations do not limit decibel levels during gatherings, and questioned Pińska’s motives, asking if she was acting as an enforcer for the “Razem” party.
Hospital Concerns and Previous Ruling
Hospital management states the protests are disruptive to patients, hindering diagnostic and treatment processes and exacerbating trauma for parents of critically ill newborns. They also protest the comparison of hospital staff to Nazi perpetrators.
The hospital has repeatedly requested the foundation to express their views in a less disruptive manner. A previous protest in January was halted by the city due to safety concerns, a decision upheld by the Gdańsk District Court after being challenged by the foundation.
Continued Protests and Lack of Intervention
Despite the previous ruling, subsequent protests have not been stopped, with officials stating each assembly is assessed individually. They maintain that slogans, unless illegal, do not justify halting a demonstration.
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