PERTH — On May 25, a rally was held to support a woman's right to choose abortion. The rally was attended by members of Resistance, Socialist Alliance, Socialist Alternative, the Cross Campus Queer Network, the ROAR Feminist Collective and other activists. The action was called in response to an anti-choice protest organised by Church associated groups and led by Archbishop Barry Hickey. The anti-choice action was to mark the 12th anniversary of, and protest against, the decriminalisation of abortion in Western Australia.
The pro-choice protesters yelled chants such as “Not the church, not the state, women must decide their fate” and “Pro-life, your name’s a lie, you don't care if women die” and held placards saying “Get your rosaries off our ovaries”. Some of these chants and placards provoked tension between the pro- and anti-choice demonstrators but a moderate level of civility was maintained.
Kitty Hawkins, a pro-choice activist and student said: “It is not the role of the church or the state to decide what happens to a woman's body. Abortion is still part of the penal code of Australian states and territories and we want to see the government taking active steps towards women not becoming criminals by taking action.”