Abortion activists in Argentina target young Catholics

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Oct 11, 2012 / 11:04 am

Around 500 abortion activists in Posadas hurled insults, spat and threw paint on young Catholics who prayed the Rosary outside the local cathedral and prevented the demonstrators from entering.

The activists convened in the city Oct. 7 for the 27th National Meeting of Women in Argentina.

According to local media, the group march through the city, painting homes and streets with slogans in support of abortion and homosexual marriage as well as anti-Catholic slurs.

Some activists reportedly stripped naked, while others made sexual gestures at the young people standing in prayer outside the Cathedral of Posadas.

According to the pro-life organization Argentinos Alerta, in previous months members of the Misiones Federal Network of Families "distributed a letter warning about the excesses caused by abortion activists," which had been "documented by the large number of videos of previous encounters."

Bishop Juan Martinez of Posadas called the group "professional instigators of violence" and demanded they be brought to justice. He said the paint on the church building and walls would not be removed for 48 hours so that the public could reflect on what has happened.

During a press conference on Oct. 9, he said, "These militant groups always see the Church as an enemy. They hate Catholics."  

"I think that this goes beyond religious discrimination," the bishop added. "If this had been done to a synagogue, everyone would have condemned it as anti-Semitism. They do this against Catholics and many people look the other way."