Five thousand angry people protested human rights for unborn children in Adelaide last night despite the fact abortion-to-birth was legalised last year.

Activists are spooked by the overturning of Roe v Wade, which forced US states to have abortion, fearing pro-life ideas might take hold in Australia.

They are also angered by a pro-life youth mentoring event today in Adelaide attended by Liberal Leader David Speirs and Family First’s Tom Kenyon and Deepa Matthew.

Asked about his attendance at the Enid Lyons List event, the Adelaide Advertiser reported that Speirs said “he was neither ‘pro-life’ nor ‘pro-choice’ and remained supportive” of SA’s abortion-to-birth laws.

Speirs also told the Guardian he was “not an activist” for change.

Kenyon, a former Labor minister, and Matthew, a former Liberal member, are pro-life and have said the re-birth of Family First was motivated in part by the former Marshall Liberal government’s push last year to legalise abortion-to-birth.

Today’s youth mentoring event is to encourage a new generation of pro-life politicians and it is organised by the Enid Lyon’s List, a counter to Labor’s pro-abortion Emily’s List which only funds female candidates who support abortion.

Last night’s protestors filled Rundle Mall waving coat hangers and signs saying “no uterus, no opinion”.

It is unclear why they think “trans women” should be excluded from the discussion.

SA Greens MLC Tammy Franks said today’s pro-life youth training was “chilling for anyone who believes in bodily autonomy”.

The abortion protest coincides with today’s byelection for the Adelaide seat of Bragg where Family First is fielding pro-life candidate Daryl McCann.

The seat was vacated by former Liberal deputy premier Vickie Chapman who “ushered in” SA’s abortion-to-birth laws.

In comments to the Guardian yesterday, she rejected the notion that her law allows abortion-to-birth.

However, the Guardian didn’t ask Chapman why she voted against amendments which would have provided some protections for babies at the late stage of pregnancy.

Lyle Shelton is National Director of Family First. Never miss an update, sign up here.