Thousands of women dressed in black and refused to go to work, instead joining demonstrations across the country, in a day of protests named “Black Monday”.
The protests follow the introduction of a bill in the Polish parliament that forbids abortion in almost all circumstances, unless pregnancy threatens the life of the mother.
Under the bill, tabled by a pro-life group, women who undergo an abortion could also face imprisonment.Despite Poland still being a predominantly Catholic country and the bill winning the backing of the Church, and the informal support of the Poland’s socially conservative government, it has triggered widespread anger.