Anti-abortion stickers on rental bikes in Paris trigger public outrage

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – Anti-abortion stickers on rental bicycles in Paris triggered public outrage on Thursday, local media reported.

Anti-abortion group Les Survivants (Survivors) admitted that they pasted stickers on Velib rental bikes on the night from Wednesday to Thursday, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

"What if you had let them live?" the stickers asked in colorful fonts, with drawings showing the evolution of an embryo to a toddler then a child on a bike.

Isabelle Rome, the minister for gender equality, diversity and equal opportunities, denounced the campaign in a tweet and said it is "unacceptable."

"Abortion is one of women's fundamental rights," she said. "We will allow nobody to violate it. I notified the Paris municipality."

District mayors of Paris condemned the action, BFMTV reported, and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Twitter said that this action is "a shame for our Republic, Paris and its values."

She promised to take all the measures to prevent it in the future.

Head of the Velib service provider, Sylvain Raifaud, on Twitter announced that they will file a complaint, BFMTV added.

Raifaud said this campaign was absolutely not authorized.

"Whatever it may be, advertising on public bikes in Paris is strictly prohibited," he said.