WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish abortion rights activists opened the centre across from Warsaw's parliament building on Saturday.
Opening the International Women's Day Centre across from Parliament has been a symbolic challenge for authorities of the traditionally Roman Catholic state, which has one of the most restrictive laws in Europe.
A small but large group of protesters stood outside the centre as activists gathered inside to take office. The activists had private security guards, but police pulled the protesters away from the internal security guards.
Activists with the group abortion dream team say it is Poland's first stationary abortion centre. It aims to provide support to women who don't like to not do an abortion alone in their bathroom.
They also say they want to put pressure on politicians and terrorize abortion in a society where one in four people have procedures, but that remains a taboo topic.
The country's central prime minister, Donald Task, came to power in the 2023 election, where he vowed to liberalize the country's abortion laws. However, the coalition he leads spread wide ideological disparities, with lawmakers on the left who wanted to legalize abortions strongly opposed.
Last year he acknowledged that he lacked support from Congress to change the law. Allowing abortions by the 12th week of pregnancy was one of his campaign promises.
