RSVP to this event

Events happening in Berlin - source and more info here

This evening, there was a vigil at the Irish Embassy in Berlin. About 60 people gathered, with candles and placards, to mourn the untimely and entirely preventable death of Savita Halappanavar.

I read out statements from Termination For Medical Reasons, Choice Ireland, a group of NUI Galway and University of Limerick academics and Fiona Hyde, editor of Siren Magazine. It was a really lovely group of people, lots of Irish, but not all. I was glad I had my passport as I ended up being legally responsible for the vigil / protest. The police officers asked me about the vigil and seemed shocked that even a miscarrying woman couldn’t have an abortion in Ireland. Quite a few people asked me when the next one is. They felt we should keep the pressure on, and shame the Irish government into legislating. So I guess we will start organizing that now.

Tweets during Sinead Redmond's emotional speech

Sinead Redmond, Pro-Choice activist and heavily pregnant talks about the 8th amendment as a '152' year old relic. #Savita

New campaign @SavitasLaws http://www.savitaslaws.com/ and Facebook #Savita #rtept #legislatenow

Redmond talks about website 'Savita's Laws' established this week. #Savita

Pregnant speaker says civil and political opinion should have no role in her care #savita #dail

That last line came from a speaker who is 8 months pregnant. "My life and health are worth protecting." #Savita #LegislateForX

Very moving speech by Sinead Redmond & what I feel as we in the fucking dark ages #savita

Great emotional address from @sineadredmond calling for immediate legislation & removal of 1861 act #Savita #SavitasLaws #NeverAgain

"This is not a time to be calm. This is a time to be angry. A woman died a preventable death in an Irish hospital in 2012" #Savita

"I cannot sleep with rage, with fear"- 8 month pregnant Sinead Redmond #Savita

Sinead Redmond, of Unlike Youth Defence, says "we need movement and we need it now. Never again." #savita

Sinead Redmond cries "SHAME ON THEM!" on the steps outside Leinster House. Crowd erupts with shouts of 'shame' #Savita

"Civil and criminal law has no place in my pregnancy, in my medical treatment"- Sinead Redmond's voice breaks with emotion #Savita

Video of Clare Daly at the protest tonight

Photos from the march tonight

Interest in Savita Halappanavar’s story won’t wane any time soon - if the trend of vigils cropping up worldwide is anything to go by.

After rallies in the UK and Ireland, New York is the latest in a line of cities where anyone moved by the tragedy of her death has gathered to show solidarity with her family.

“This isn’t just an Irish issue - international awareness exists around this human rights issue,” Max McGuinness, a Dublin-born Columbia University PhD student and one of the two vigil organisers tells The Irish Times.

Surrounded by dozens of like-minded people at a candlelit ceremony on the lawn outside Columbia University’s Barnard College, McGuinness says the goal was also to protest at the circumstances leading up to Ms Halappanavar’s death.

“It seems to be a direct consequence of the failure of consecutive Irish governments since the X case to produce a legal framework that would protect pregnant women’s rights,” McGuinness says.

“A show of global support is vital,” adds Barnard Professor Belinda McKeown, who organised the vigil with McGuinness. “The Irish Government needs to be reminded the world is taking this story seriously, and with the right kind of pressure they may finally act, ” she says, adding how Barnard College, traditionally a female-only campus, was the perfect setting to spotlight women’s rights being undermined by a lack of clarity on abortion in Ireland’s Constitution.