My name is Martyna. I am 16 years old. Together with my friends from the Journalism Workshops, I took part in protests concerning the anti-abortion law. When we found out that the Constitutional Tribunal had banned terminating a pregnancy in cases of severe fetal defects, we thought that this decision was outrageous and absurd.

As a result of the law, thousands of citizens took to the streets of cities across Poland, expressing their dissatisfaction in a very vulgar manner.

“The strike could not have taken place in any other form. No one would have paid attention to the online protest proposed by Mr. Morawiecki. One of our peers, Adam Goleński, incidentally a person involved in climate issues (the Young People’s Club of Stowarzyszenie dla Polski), also spoke on the matter. In a conversation with us, he admitted that the form of the strikes was inappropriate. Personally, I believe that attending a demonstration, even in such a small town as Bolesławiec, is extremely important, because one day we may also face the choice of whether to become a mother when the fetus has severe defects or not,” Weronika said during the first strike.

“I interviewed Adam Goleński. The words that everyone has the right to a dignified death, regardless of whether they are a newborn, a child or an adult, aroused deep outrage in me. When asked who would provide mothers of very sick or dying children with psychological or psychiatric support, or financial support for that matter, he did not answer,” Wiktoria admitted.

We saw people shouting vulgar slogans at the protesters. Yet everyone has the right to decide for themselves whether they will take part in a march, regardless of their age.

“I was deeply moved by an older man taking part in the protest, who stated that women should have the right to decide about their own bodies, because when terminating a high-risk pregnancy, it is mainly they who bear the burden of that decision for the rest of their lives. He spoke calmly, with genuine concern for the future of mothers. Many people should learn from such an attitude,” Weronika stated.
Many people, despite the fact that we live in a free Poland, were afraid to speak openly about their views. Before we had even introduced ourselves, they asked whom the interview was being conducted for, what its purpose was and why it was being done. They did not want to speak.

As young people, we wonder what kind of country we have been born into. After all, this is free Poland. Free?… We cannot freely express our opinions, demonstrations are suppressed, and we cannot make decisions concerning ourselves. What future awaits us?