A GROUP of people opposing abortion have been criticised for involving children in an annual protest at the Hickleys Corner crossroads in Farnham.

Every May, ‘pro-life’ campaigners hold silent vigils at roadsides throughout the UK to mark the passing of the Abortion Act in 1967, which legalised abortions by registered practitioners and to this day regulates the free provision of abortions through the NHS.

In Farnham, this again took place at the junction of Station Hill and the A31 Farnham bypass on Saturday, May 6.

Although their point of view has split opinion online, the Farnham Facebook community has roundly condemned the sight of children holding up placards with slogans such as ‘abortions destroy lives’ and ‘every abortion takes a life’.

One particular post to the Farnham Rants community page on the day of the vigil, received no fewer than 585 ‘likes’ and ‘emotions’ and kicked off an emotive week-long debate in which the campaigners views were both castigated and defended vehemently.

The post, by Dominique Murphy de Neef, said: “What destroys lives are you people shaming women for what is already an incredibly difficult decision and hard enough as it is without you perpetuating your ridiculously oppressive opinions. And don’t indoctrinate your kids into protesting. That’s disgusting.”

Ensuing comments included: “A kid that must have been like 10 was protesting - he hasn’t even had a chance to develop his own opinion, only theirs! Fair enough it’s their belief but it doesn’t have to be forced onto people.”

Another member of the group said: “Can’t abort babies in the womb but can sit children at a busy, dangerous, polluted junction to spout ideology they don’t have the maturity to understand.”

And another added: “Having kids hold anti-abortion signs up in Farnham is one of the most disgusting things I’ve witnessed! What is wrong with their parents? Shame on you.”

Defending their stance, the anti-abortion campaigners said in a statement: “The Abortion Act was passed through parliament on the basis that abortion would be for the hard cases, to be checked by two doctors.

“There are now over 500 abortions a day in England and Wales, most of them carried out for the mental health of the mother.

“Actually, it has been shown that it is the abortions themselves which are more likely to cause the mental damage, and there are thousands of women – and men – who carry this for the rest of their lives.

“The societal changes that have been caused by the practice of abortion as it is now are deep and worrying. It is changing our attitudes to the value of human life.”

More information about abortion, including who to contact for advice can be found online at www.nhs.uk/conditions/Abortion.