Local Group Cobh Together For Yes calls for respectful campaign materials

Photo: Mike Bardsley/Cobh Edition

Today Cobh Together For Yes has called for the respectful use of materials in the referendum campaign on the Eighth Amendment. The call has been put out following a large poster containing graphic photographs of dismembered foetuses was displayed outside of Cobh playground on the afternoon of the 9th of April. This has lead to many in the community questioning the suitability of these materials for display in public spaces.

Speaking today Alison Reilly, Chair of Cobh Together For Yes and Liaison Rep for East Cork Together For Yes, ‘I was shocked to see this graphic imagery outside Cobh playground. This is an area where children play as well as being a busy tourist area. I do not allow my children to view such horrifying content at home and now they are being confronted with it in public. This is very upsetting for them and in extremely poor taste. Furthermore, these lobbyists have been told before about the impact of these posters on women who have suffered miscarriages. To continue to use this imagery does their side no favours and is dreadfully unkind to people who have been bereaved in this way. When they were approached today about this, the people holding the posters were dismissive of our concerns and showed a real lack of empathy.’

Further commenting on the posters Alan Gibson, Liaison Officer Cork Together for Yes and local Cobh Together for Yes activist, ‘I think this decision speaks to the desperation of the campaign to retain the Eighth Amendment. They must be aware that these posters do nothing but cause pain to people as well as being inaccurate, and not what this referendum is about. What must tourists think of Cobh after seeing their disgraceful behaviour today. For children to be targeted in this way is appalling. What were they hoping to achieve? If it is to discourage people’s enjoyment of public space in Cobh then that is the only thing that they have succeeded in doing. Cobh Together For Yes has had several stalls in the town and all of our material is appropriate for public space. We are capable of getting our point across in a positive and respectful way, is the pro-life argument so weak that they must resort to these underhanded and upsetting tactics?’