Anti-abortion protest at Science Park sparks larger counter-demonstration

By now, it's a familiar sight at USP: a group of men in uniform chanting anti-abortion slogans, handing out leaflets, playing the bagpipes, and carrying flags with the words "Tradition, Family, and Property". This isn't an isolated sight, as the European student association Civitas Christiana is staging demonstrations at several locations this week. On Tuesday, they protested at Utrecht Central Station.

“Everyone can sense what we stand for: the Christian faith, honour and conscience,” says TFP spokesperson Hugo Bos. “We stand for eternal principles, and we demonstrate that through our appearance.”

Counter-demonstration
As with previous protests (held in 2024, 2025, March 2026), a counter-demonstration quickly formed, with people banging on pans and shouting pro-choice slogans. The counter-protest grew steadily during the two hours Civitas Christiana was at USP. It included USP residents, students and staff from Utrecht University and the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. 

“It’s unacceptable that men want to take away women’s rights”, says Anthropology student Susanne. “I saw it happening and went straight to my study association’s room to fetch a pan.”

Some people went to USP specifically for the counter-protest. The feminist organisation Dolle Minas used its channels to call on people to do so. “I'm so angry that those men want to interfere in other people’s lives,” says Suzan, who often attends Dolle Minas' demonstrations.

National politics
In the Netherlands, abortion is, in principle, a criminal offence. The Criminal Code states that abortion is only permitted under certain conditions. Dutch society has long debated whether abortion should be considered a criminal offence. Last Monday, the debate returned to the agenda in The Hague, when the party Progressief Nederland tabled a private member’s bill to remove abortion from the criminal code.