US President Donald Trump pardoned 23 anti-abortion activists convicted of charges including blocking reproductive health clinics and intimidating staff and patients.

The pardons are part of a round of executive orders signed by Trump on Thursday, several in the first week of his presidency.

Trump described the conviction as “ridiculous,” but abortion rights campaigners said the move was evidence of his opposition to abortion.

The orders come a day before anti-abortion protesters are due to come to Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life, where the president will be addressed by video link.

In 2020, Trump became the first president to attend a rally in person, although George W Bush and Ronald Reagan also spoke about the rally remotely.

Vice President JD Vance will attend in person this time.

The rally has been held annually in the nation’s capital since 1974, a year after it was legalized by the Supreme Court under Roe V Wade.

Abortion rights were a key issue in the recent presidential campaign, with the court overturning that ruling in 2022.

In signing the pardon, Trump said of the activists: “They should not be prosecuted. Many of them are elderly people… It’s an honor to sign that. They would be happy.”

US media reported that one of those pardoned was Lauren Handy, leader of the group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU).

The group was convicted in 2020 of conspiring to attack a reproductive health clinic in Washington and prevent access to intimidate patients and staff. Members forced them into the Surgi-Clinic, hurting nurses and spending hours inside.

Handy was found guilty in August 2023 and sentenced in May 2024.

Her supporters praised the pardon and said the convictions were political.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, said protesters were targeted by Joe Biden’s Justice Department and she thanked Trump for “immediately following through on his promise to pardon them.”

But abortion rights advocates say the pardons confirm their belief that Trump is anti-abortion, despite his declaration during the presidential campaign that it was up to states to decide whether to allow the practice.

Ryan Stitzlein of the national abortion rights group Nurturing Freedom for All told AP News: “Donald Trump has tried to have it both ways on the campaign trail — bragging about his role in overturning Roe V Wade while saying he doesn’t Action will be taken to have an abortion.

“We never believed that was true, which shows we were right.”