The Pro-Life Generation Has Found It’s Voice
A social movement is nothing without young people behind it, and the young people of Britain came out in force for March for Life UK 2026.
I spoke with young people aged 18-35 at the March this year. I started my day at the March for Life’s first ever Youth Summit, which included breakfast, inspirational speakers, and an expert panel. We had a fabulous turnout at the Summit, with more than 100 young people attending over the course of the morning. I was encouraged to hear that, for many, this was their first March for Life! They shared their stories with me of becoming recently convinced of the humanity of the unborn and passionate about the pro-life cause.
The Youth Summit speakers emphasised the importance of young people being vocal and unashamed in their advocacy for unborn lives. Perhaps the most powerful speech came from Leah Levin-Martins, who shared her testimony of healing after the abortion she had twenty years ago. “I believed all the lies the world had told me: ‘It’s a simple procedure. It’s not a baby. It’s not a big deal.’” Caught up in fear and lacking support, she aborted the baby she conceived at seventeen years old. Leah entreated the young people present not to shrink away from encouraging the people in their lives away from abortion when facing an unplanned pregnancy: “Just know, you could be the voice that is the difference between life and death.”
During the March itself, the atmosphere was joyful, hopeful, and exciting. We sang hymns and songs of praise and chanted proudly for “Life, life, life!” We filled the streets of London and Parliament Square with singing, laughter, prayers, and warmth. When I asked young people what had led them to the March, their answers blew me away. These young men and women, several of them only eighteen or nineteen years old, spoke with remarkable knowledge, conviction, and clarity when sharing their reasons for being pro-life. They were not out wanting to protest because their friends were, or because it was something to post about on social media. Their sincerely held beliefs had brought them there to witness to life, and it was truly inspiring to see such conviction in people so young.
Tomas (19) declared, “I’m a Catholic. I believe in the inviolable dignity of the human person. I’ve decided to come out here today to support this righteous cause, for the sake of God, for the sake of this nation, for the sake of all that’s good and holy.”
Toby said he came “to be a voice for those that don’t have one; to protect the most vulnerable; and hopefully… show that we’re not some crazy minority. We’re normal people, wanting something pretty reasonable.”
Noreena shared, “Looking back at history, there’s an evil in each generation, and there’s always one side that opposed it and one side that kind of goes along and supports it… I think as like a Christian, but also just as a human being, I can’t just sit by and do nothing as a great evil takes place.”
When I asked George (19) what brought him to the March, he said, “A love for unborn children, and a love for my generation… I believe in babies being born. A third of my generation has been lost due to abortion.” He also shared a message for other young men on the spiritual and moral battle being faced: “Most men can fight. Most men can fight for themselves. But are you truly a man if you don’t fight for people that can’t fight? People my age, people from all different backgrounds, must fight for people who can’t fight for themselves. Otherwise, like I said, who’s going to?”
In Parliament Square, I spent time at the boundary between the March for Life and those who opposed it. The contrast between the two was stark. While the March for Life was filled with song and conversation, the abortion supporters were a never-ending din of noise. Independent journalists covering the March had umbrellas and protest signs shoved in their faces, and at times were met with violence. Pro-life demonstrators did none of this. Independent journalist Madeleine summed up the disparity between the two groups in a post on X: “I’ve never attended a protest where the atmosphere and behaviour of the protesters and counter-protesters were so different. It was light and day. The March for Life attendees peacefully took a stand for their beliefs and set a strong example of Christian virtue in the face of abuse.”
While mainstream media were conspicuously absent, independent journalists with sizable online followings were present, both as journalists and fellow pro-lifers. Among them were Emma Dunwell, Samiksha Bhattacharjee, Madeliene, Thomas Moffitt (AKA YoungBob), and Montgomery Toms. Reflecting on her experience at the March, Samiksha wrote to M4LUK, “The march actually gave me hope for the future of the country. She added that young people are at “the forefront of this movement. We are the pro-life generation, and I hope we showed the country that on Saturday.”
Despite poor policing, some aggressive counter-protesters, and absence of mainstream media, the purpose of the March for Life was amply fulfilled. We marched 10,000-strong in peaceful, defence of life and against the injustice of abortion. We reminded the British public of the size and strength of the pro-life movement in the UK, and we reminded one another that we are not alone in this fight. We at M4LUK are thankful to everyone who came out and stood up for the unborn (including multiple people in their 90s!), but we want to issue a special thank you to the young people—you are a credit to your churches, your generation, and your country. Keep marching for life!
