US VP at anti-abortion march: 'Life is winning again in America'

United Vice President Mike Pence fired up the crowd at the March for Life in Washington, telling the pro-life throng their movement is succeeding.

IMAGE: US Vice President Mike Pence, his wife Karen Pence and their daughter Charlotte Pence arrive for a rally on the National Mall before the start of the 43rd annual March for Life. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

“Life is winning in America and today is a celebration in that progress,” Pence said, speaking at the Washington Monument, before the march stepped off just after noon.

“We’ve come to a historic moment in the cause of life and we must approach it with compassion for every American. Life is winning in America because of you.

IMAGE: Thousands of people rally on the National Mall before the start of the 44th annual March for Life. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

“Let this movement be known for love,” he added to thunderous applause. “Not anger. For compassion. Not confrontation.”

Pence, a staunch conservative defender of traditional family values with strong anti-abortion views, is the first American vice president to speak at the March for Life gathering.

IMAGE: Pence has a long history of fighting women's reproductive rights when he was governor of Indiana. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Earlier, US President Donald Trump signed an anti-abortion executive order, which prohibits giving US funding to international nongovernmental organisations that offer or advise on a wide range of family planning and reproductive health options if they include abortion -- even if US dollars are not specifically used for abortion-related services.

IMAGE: The number of people at the anti-abortion march are expected to be much lesser than that at the women's marches which were held last week. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images