40DFL in Glasgow last year.
Vigils are taking place across the UK, despite attempts to ban them.
40 Days For Life (40DFL), the worldwide campaign in which people witness and pray outside abortion clinics, is starting its Lenten campaign today. It is the biggest such campaign yet, with vigils taking place in 354 locations across 25 countries.
Since the first campaign in 2004, which took place in just one location in Texas, 13,998 lives are known to have been saved from abortion, 170 abortion workers have experienced conversions and left their jobs, and 94 abortion centres have closed forever after 40 Days for Life vigils outside their doors.
Despite a concerted attack...
This year, 40DFL vigils are being run in 12 locations across the UK, from Aberdeen to Portsmouth, from Cardiff to Norwich.
This campaign comes in the midst of a concerted attack against peaceful pro-life prayer vigils such as those run by 40DFL. Just yesterday, a Labour MP called people who pray outside clinics "fanatics" "who aim to harass women". A very similar article has appeared today in the Huffington Post. Across the country, councils have been voting in favour of motions to do "all in their power" to ban vigils, usually by exploring the possibility of imposing a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) around the abortion centre in question.
The Home Office is also running a public consultation into "harassment and intimidation around abortion clinics," which ends on Monday 19 Feb.
Last few days to respond to the consultation!
...vigils are going ahead in the UK
However, no council has yet succeeded in banning vigils. Southwark Council recently admitted that it didn't have the evidence of harassment and intimidation needed to impose a PSPO.
In fact, 40 Days for Life Campaigns have just started in several locations where councils have passed hostile motions, including Manchester, Birmingham and Portsmouth.
Although there has not been a council motion in Nottingham, the vigil there has already attracted media attention, in part due to the violence of pro-abortion counter protests last year. In a mostly hostile BBC article, John Edwards, chairman of the SPUC Nottingham branch, and who is running the 40DFL vigil, said:
"40 Days for Life is a vigil of prayer, not a protest. We pray - for the unborn, and for their mothers, who are also harmed by abortion," he said."If anyone approaches us, we will talk to them, and can direct women to sources of support to help them keep their baby if that is what they wish. Many women around the country have been helped by such vigils."
News in brief: