The pro-life organisation, 40 Days for Life, has declared that it will persist in its peaceful assemblies and prayers, opposing a prospective ban on prayer vigils near abortion clinics in Germany. This stance is in response to a new draft bill presented by the German government, aimed at prohibiting “sidewalk harassment” of women at these locations.
The new legislation presumes that those praying outside the clinics are engaging in harassment of pregnant women. However, according to the government’s own admission, there is no “concrete data” to back up the number of such harassment cases. Tomislav Cunovic, Managing Director of 40 Days for Life International, criticised Family Minister Lisa Paus’s accusation that the demonstrations were a threat to expectant women. He maintained that not a single incident of pregnant women being approached, harassed or pressured at these demonstrations had been reported.
Felix Böllmann, Director of European Advocacy at ADF International, also criticised the proposed law for being vague and imprecise. He argued that peaceful prayer gatherings should be protected by the state rather than opposed. The proposed legal change is seen by pro-life advocates as contradictory to the truth, especially in scenarios where, in fact, police protection is needed more by pro-lifers who have been attacked by violent extremists at prayer vigils.