Abortion Pills And Distribution Robot Handed Over To Police

Campaigners at a pro-choice rally have handed abortion pills and a mini-robot, used to distribute the illegal medication, over to police during a protest outside Laganside Courts in Belfast.

The pro-choice campaigners gathered at the Courts to call for reform on Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws.

Unlike the rest of the UK, the procedure is only carried out in certain, extreme, scenarios.

It is understood that women at the protest planned to take illegal abortion medication, which was delivered via a mini-robot and aims to anonymise the distribution of the pills to avoid prosecution.

A police inspector had warned protesters they would seize any pills and the mini-robot, if it was used.

It is understood that protesters and police spoke for around 15 minutes before a Dutch doctor – who was part of the protest – handed pills and the device over to the police.

The PSNI also spoke to a woman after the protest, but she was not arrested.

A small counter pro-life protest was also staged at the Courts.

Pressure is increasing to reform NI's abortion laws following Ireland's decision, after an overwhelming referendum result, to repeal the country's 8th Amendment, which restricts women's access to abortion.

(MH)