Radical Queers Resist, a queer group fighting for change by direct action, held a counter protest in response to an extremist anti-abortion group specifically targeting LGBT+ spaces.

A number of LGBT+ community organisations, including GCN, were sent an email from the extremist anti-abortion group with detailed information about protests they intended to hold over the coming week. The protests were supposedly due to the LGBT+ community supporting a pro-choice vote. At one of the anti-abortion groups’ protests held across the street from Pantibar today, Radical Queers Resist organised a counter-protest.

The anti-abortion group were using deliberately graphic imagery in order to provoke a strong reaction, Radical Queers Resist countered with their own banners in a peaceful protest.

Jen from RQR spoke with GCN to tell us why they had organised the counter-protest.

Jen from @RadQueersResist tells why they organised a counter-protest against the Irish Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform who are targeting #LGBTQ community spaces in #Dublin this week. @Together4yes #RepealThe8th #Together4YES pic.twitter.com/apQTdlTFvH

— Gay Community News (@GCNmag) April 16, 2018

“They [anti-abortion group] emailed Panti to say they would be outside Pantibar on the start of their week they were going to target LGBTQ people. So we said absolutely not, we’re not having that.

“Especially because the images they use are only to punish people who have already suffered a tragedy. The images they use are second- and third-trimester abortions. The only reason someone would have an abortion in the second- or third-trimester is in tragic circumstances. So they are punishing tragedy.

“We’re not okay with that, and we’re definitely not okay with people using gay equality as a means to project this vile message. So we had to combat that and let them know that we exist. We’re here, we’re queer and we’re absolutely furious about this.”

The guards arrived at the scene on Capel Street but determined both groups were protesting peacefully and there was no reason to break up either demonstration.

The anti-abortion group complained Radical Queers Resist were hindering their own attempts at protest but the guards disagreed completely.

You can find more information on RQR at their facebook page.

For further information on the Together For Yes campaign, visit their website here.