Polish women, men go on strike against proposed abortion ban

Dressed in black and waving back flags, thousands of Polish women and men took part in nationwide protests Monday over proposed legislation that would usher in a total ban on abortion.

The Street protests in Gdansk, Warsaw, and other places were dubbed "Black Monday."

The color black was chosen as a sign of mourning over the potential loss of female reproductive rights and also for the health danger many women would face if Poland's ruling Law Justice Party succeeds in making all abortions illegal.

Poland is a staunchly Catholic country.

Since 1993 abortion in Poland has been banned except in instances where the woman's life is in danger, because of rape or incest or if the fetus is irreparably damaged. However, Poland's conservative government wants to make the practice even more restrictive as part of its attempts to impose church-friendly social reforms.

Opinion surveys show that most people do not support the proposals, but the Law and Justice Party has a parliamentary majority, making its passage hard to predict.