(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, 27 OTT - Poland's prime minister on Tuesday defended a highly controversial court ruling on abortion that has ignited angry protests across the country, calling for an end to "barbarism". Poland has seen six consecutive days of demonstrations against the verdict, which would rule out abortions in all cases except rape and when the life of the mother is at risk. "Acts of aggression, barbarism and vandalism are absolutely unacceptable," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters, warning that any violent protests could lead to an "escalation". "Attacks on religious symbols and churches will not be permitted," he said, after a series of protests in Catholic churches over the ruling. "Everyone for whom the good of the Republic of Poland is a value should try to calm the situation today," the prime minister said, adding that mass protests risked a further spike in coronavirus infections.

(ANSA-AFP).