Press, police, politicians. and phones.

In the morning of the 21st of June, a press conference is held in the Wladyslawowo city hall. Two anti abortionist members of Parliament are denied access to the press conference by the local police. They are not seeking more information from Women on Waves, but are only trying to disrupt the Women on Waves communication.
Even without having held a press conference, Women on Waves is receiving a lot of publicity.

After the press conference, the hotlines open and the phones start ringing like mad. Polish women call, desperate for help. The representatives at the press conference however, are afraid of going back to their headquarters in fear of being followed by anti abortionists. Instead they disperse throughout the city, and only after they are completely sure they are not being followed do they slowly return to the house in Wladyslawowo.

June 21, 2003, morning
Although the press conference had been threatened with cancellation, Women on Waves and the STER committee hold a press conference together at the City Hall in Wladyslawowo The press conference receives live coverage by Polish television and attracts a lot of media attention. Thanks to the professional assistance of the local police, the conference is conducted in an orderly manner, and we end up with only limited amounts of egg and paint on ourselves. From then on, the discussion in the Polish media, already building the last couple of weeks, begins to heat up and Women on Waves is front page news in every major and local newspaper as well as the main topic on public and commercial TV newscasts.

After the press conference no one dares go back to the house, considering the threat of being followed by anti-abortion protesters. We break up into small groups and scatter ourselves all over the town. One by one we return to the house after we have made sure that we have not been followed.

Hotline team, Beata: "During the press conference at City Hall I am standing at the entrance. A Member of Parliament, Mr. Strak (member of Polish parliament from LPR) tries to get in by telling the policemen guarding the door that as a Member of Parliament he is allowed to enter anywhere he likes. I am incredibly happy that I am able to convince the policeman to not let MP Strak in. He only wants to disturb our press conference anyway. After the press conference some 'anti' nuthead throws cola at me. I inform the police.

Press Conference June 21st 2003 2
Press conference in Wladyslawowo city hall. Image Copyright Women on Waves 2004.

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