Residents complain to council over an anti-abortion sign in front of church on South Rd, Thebarton

An anti-abortion sign outside a Catholic church on South Rd sparked anger from residents and it has now been removed.

The political billboard in front of Queen of Angels Catholic Church, corner of South Rd and Kintore St, Thebarton, SA. Picture: Michael Hall

A anti-abortion sign erected outside a western suburbs Catholic church has been taken down after a local council ordered its removal.

The sign was put up in front of the Queen of Angels Catholic Church on the corner of South Road and Kintore Street on Saturday, slamming new abortion reforms before parliament. The sign asks people to contact their local MP to “let these babies live”.

Under the bill, the approval of two medical practitioners will be required only for an abortion after 22 weeks and six days gestation. Barriers to abortion services for women in regional SA will also be removed.

West Torrens Mayor Michael Coxon said on Wednesday they had written to the landowners of the church ordering its removal by January 29, as it was a form of development which did not have council approval.

An Adelaide Archdiocese spokeswoman said the sign would be removed by 6pm Friday.

“We were given verbal advice that approval was not required but clearly that was inaccurate,” the spokeswoman said.

“The sign was the initiative of a private individual who wanted our permission to locate it on church land.”

Ashley Gallagher, of Thebarton, was part of a chorus of people who contacted the City of West Torrens to complain about the sign.

The 24-year-old said she was angry when she saw the sign because it was “entirely inappropriate”.

“It makes me very angry, it’s so inappropriate, it perpetuates stigma around abortion,” Ms Gallagher said.

“It’s spreading misinformation about what’s going on in parliament, and it’s inappropriate in our community.”

Mile End resident Vivian Kenny was shocked by the sign.

“It is peddling misinformation,” Mr Kenny said.

The criminal lawyer said SA is the only jurisdiction in the country where abortion remains a criminal offence and is punishable by life imprisonment.

“Don’t they trust the 4000 people who need to access abortion services in South Australia each year? Don’t they trust our health care professionals?”

Originally published as Residents complain to council over an anti-abortion sign in front of church on South Rd, Thebarton