A parents’ coffee morning, to be held in a children’s play centre in Galway, was cancelled last Sunday morning after the owner received contacts of a threatening nature.
Galway Parents Together for Yes, a pro-choice group of mothers and fathers calling for a ‘Yes’ vote in the Eighth Amendment referendum, had organised for the event to take place in the Kids Place play centre. However the event had to be cancelled after the venue was “targeted with threatening messages”, according to Parents Together For Yes spokesperson Jenni Owen-Thomas. “Having our event for families targeted feels intimidating and silencing,” she said. “Open discussion is a cornerstone of democracy.”
According to Aoife Moore, a member of Parents Together For Yes, after contacting Kids Place on Sunday morning to confirm the booking, she was told “the owner felt forced to cancel the event”. She said the venue was “very apologetic” for this and that “Kids Place have made it clear that they are welcoming to families of all views”.Parents Together For Yes said it was “disappointed for those parents who were so looking forward to having a chat about why we’re voting ‘Yes’ in the referendum in May, and to have their questions answered in a safe and welcoming environment”.
Jenni Owen-Thomas, said: “One in two women who need abortion care are already mothers - we won’t be forced out of this debate. It’s difficult for many parents to make it to evening events due to the need for childcare, so these morning events are really important.”
