Manifestation in Lisbon
About 250 people protest against the decision of the Portuguese government to forbid the Women on Waves ship to enter Portugal outside the official residence of the prime minister of Portugal, Santana Lopes in Lisbon.
The protesters chant:
“Illegal abortion is a national disgrace�?
and
“Medieval law, only in Portugal�?
A petition, signed by more than 3000 people in 36 hours is presented to the government. The petition states that the arguments used by the government that women on waves is a threat to national health, are false and reaffirm the hypocritical position of the government.
Meanwhile in the late afternoon the Netherlands an emergency debate is taking place in the Parliament and the opposition Parties PvdA (labor party and biggest opposition party) and D’66 (one of the coalition parties) question the Dutch minister of Foreign affairs about the decision of the Portuguese government. Minister Bot replies to the questions of the Parliament that the Portuguese Minister of Defense couldn’t prevent the ship from entering Portuguese territorial waters on the bases of his sole argument that the ship violates the United Nations convention of the Sea. But as the government in the Netherlands is ruled by the Christian Democratic Party there is no political will to officially intervene, as they should following this conclusion, Bot has tried to find an excuse not to have to intervene officially.
In the answers he also states that as abortion can be described as a service falling under the EU convention and Minister Bot is of the opinion that maybe the Portuguese government could have denied entry of the ship on the basis of public order and public health.
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