London City Council should restrict harmful graphic images to protect the public
For immediate release
(London, Ontario) — The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) wants London City Council to bring forward a by-law to restrict graphic anti-abortion images in public. ARCC has made a written submission to the March 5 Council meeting, where Council will decide whether to refer a staff report from the Community and Protective Services Committee’s meeting of Feb. 20, 2024 back to City Staff. That report contains a motion that Civic Administration bring forward a by-law with respect to the regulation and display of graphic images by the end of Q2, 2024.
ARCC urges City Council to refer the staff report back to the Committee. If attempts to pass a specific by-law banning graphic images of alleged aborted fetuses were to fail, ARCC proposes that the City enacts a by-law similar to one that the City of Calgary passed in October 2020, which has not been challenged in court. Calgary’s Temporary Signs on Highways Bylaw restricts advocacy messaging on public property within 150 metres of a school, if signs are larger than 3.5” by 5”.
“We do not endorse a zone restriction because graphic anti-abortion signs have been displayed across the entire city,” said Deanna Ronson, a local London activist and a Board director for ARCC. “We also don’t want to restrict advocacy signs in general. Instead, we recommend restricting the size of graphic signs to 3.5”x 5”, which will still allow the forced-birthers to display their images, while having minimal visual impact on passersby.”
Both ARCC and Ronson have been lobbying City Hall to enact a sign by-law restricting the display of graphic images of alleged aborted fetuses on signs and posters since September 2020.
Anti-choice groups (primarily the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform) deliberately display these grisly images on signs to generate public shock and outrage.
“We contend that Londoners have suffered grievous harm from these images and deserve to have a sign by-law that will protect them from further harm,” said Ronson.
Media Contact: Deanna Ronson, ARCC Board Director, London Ontario, dlronson@gmail.com,519-868-7187