Poland protests: Abortion rights demonstrations reaches 10th straight day

Young people take part in a massive protest against Poland's conservative government. Photo / AP

Demonstrators have held anti-government protests across Poland for the 10th straight day in response to the tightening of one of Europe's strictest abortion laws.

The latest protests showed the determination and discontent of thousands of Poles after five years under the right-wing government of the ruling Law and Justice party.

Demonstrators have assembled every day since the country's constitutional court ruled on October 22 to outlaw the abortion of foetuses with congenital defects.

WATCH: Something extraordinary is happening in Poland

This story has not got the attention it deserves, night after night of protests, big crowds after a court ruling that further limited its restrictive abortion laws pic.twitter.com/R6o5VK19e6

— Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) October 30, 2020

Warsaw police said 37 people were detained during a Friday protest that city authorities estimated at about 100,000 participants, at a time when anti-Covid-19 regulations ban gatherings larger than five. Poland reported a new daily record of almost 21,900 new confirmed cases.

On Friday, the protesters started from various points in the city, converged on a downtown roundabout and walked to the home of the Deputy Prime Minister, but they were stopped some distance away from the residence by a heavy police presence.

Epic Drone Footage of #Poland as tens of thousands of women march against high court’s abortion ban in #Warsaw.

Amplify their voices, let the world know we stand with them in their struggle for Women’s Rights & Personal Freedom!
✊🏽🔥🔥🔥 #StrajkKobiet #polandprotests pic.twitter.com/Cw0Ex4SFC3

— Terrence Daniels (Captain 🍀 Planet) (@Terrence_STR) October 31, 2020

Protesters were attacked with firecrackers by far-right groups, but police contained the confrontation, said Warsaw police spokesman Sylwester Marczak.

"There was aggressive behaviour on the part of soccer pseudo-fans (soccer hooligans) and also between the two sides, that's why police prevention units took action," Marczak said. He described the overall protest as "very peaceful considering the number of participants".

Noisy but disciplined marches were also held in other cities. More protests are planned next week.

Poland's constitutional court has preserved the provisions of the country's 1993 abortion law, one of Europe's strictest, that permit abortions when a pregnancy threatens a woman's health or results from rape or incest.