Students Are Being Warned About Anti Choice Campaigners Wearing Body Cameras
In recent weeks a number of Irish colleges have been targeted by anti-choice protestors ahead of the referendum on the Eighth Amendment.
Last month Trinity College SU warned students of the anti-choice activists campaigning outside the Front Arch of Trinity with posters depicting scenes of aborted fetuses and wearing 'Reveal' jumpers. Now campaigners have targeted another set of Dublin colleges on Thursday, 15 February:
Fascinating that all the pro life campaigners outside Government Buildings are wearing body cameras - why? Also most seem to be American. #eighthamendment pic.twitter.com/6ZuuBsW4jj
— Darren McCaffrey (@DMcCaffreySKY) January 29, 2018
Both UCD and DIT were targeted by the protesters on Thursday. DIT SU posted a status on Facebook to warn students about the cameras.
We advise students to not engage with any of the protesters or with any of the imagery on show. It has been reported that they wear body cameras. These are not educational or informative photos and students should be aware that these photos may cause offence.
The Irish Centre of Bioethical Reform, the pro-life group, spoke to the University Observer about why they chose UCD to display "abortion victim photography". The group felt it was an "educational display" that would inform students on the issue of abortion as being "a form of child abuse". No UCD students are involved with the group.
The group will continue to protest outside universities around Dublin before the referendum: “... we are doing displays at all the main universities around Dublin. We want as many students as possible to be given the opportunity to engage with the reality of abortion.”
Speculation continues to mount on Twitter why the pro-life campaigners are using the footage with some suggesting it's for their own 'protection' and others believe they're used to record provoked prochoicers.
Probably hoping to confront a politician and record the reaction...yes very unusual and organised ??
— Tom OLeary (@tomoleary888) January 29, 2018