This Saturday the 30th of September marks the day of the sixth annual March 4 Choice in Dublin and here is some information you need to know if you are heading up.
Marchers will assemble at the Garden of Remembrance from 1:30pm before they march at Dáil Éireann at 2pm.
This year’s theme is “Time to Act” and was chosen by the Abortion Rights Campaign because it’s “time for all of us not only to mobilize to vote to repeal, but also to make clear to the Government that exceptions-based access to abortion (e.g. only in cases of rape, fatal fetal abnormality etc) will not help the majority of people who need abortions” according to a spokesperson from abortionrightscampaign.ie.
The first march was held in 2012 and had about 2,000 in attendance. Since then, the numbers have grown with over 20,000 attending in 2016. The aim of this year’s March according to an ARC spokesperson is “to show that the people of Ireland want choice and change, and to express solidarity with the thousands of people who have been forced to travel to access abortion or been forced to illegally import abortion pills over the decades.”
ARC Clare are organizing a bus that is going from Arthur’s Quay in Limerick at 9am the morning of the march, with subsidized rates for students at €10. Groups are also going from the local universities, with societies such as UL Feminist Society and UL Socialist Society sending members up to the march.
On the day of the March there are events such as the “Breakfast for Choice” in Jigsaw, 10 Belvedere Court, D1, intended to bring ARC and pro-choice groups from around the country together. This year promises to be even bigger than ever with the ARC expecting around 30,000 to attend.
All quotes included are from a spokesperson from abortionrightscampaign.ie