‘If we can do it, you can do it’: US anti-abortion groups ramp up activities in UK

Emboldened by victories at home, some of the most prominent American anti-abortion groups are exporting their tactics overseas

Katherine Stewart
Sun 2 Apr 2023

Anti-abortion groups are stepping up efforts to spread US-style abortion politics to the UK, ramping up spending with the ambition of shaking up political life beyond American borders.

Fresh off their historic victory in bringing about the end of the constitutional right to abortion in the US, these groups are importing familiar tactics, including public protests and demonstrations, anti-abortion counseling centers or so-called “crisis pregnancy centers”, and the cultivation of ties with clerical leaders.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/02/us-anti-abortion-groups-uk-far-right


Anti-abortion protesters outnumbered by pro-choice signs at Glasgow hospital

The metres-long display of around 200 cardboard signs were arranged by LGBTQ+ protest group Cabaret Against The Hate Speech (CATHS).

By Jon Brady
2 APR 2023

Pro-choice campaigners have pre-empted a group of anti-abortion protesters on their final day of action outside a Glasgow maternity unit with a huge display of posters.

The metres-long display of around 200 cardboard signs, bearing messages such as "bans don't stop abortions - they stop safe abortions" and "my rights, my body, my choice", were arranged by LGBTQ+ protest group Cabaret Against The Hate Speech (CATHS). They were put up before members of 40 Days for Life arrived outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on Sunday for the last of 40 days of anti-choice action.

Continued: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/anti-abortion-protesters-outnumbered-pro-29611013


Call for abortion protest ‘exclusion zones’ in Northern Ireland

By Jayne McCormack, BBC News NI Political Reporter
March 31, 2021

Exclusion zones should be introduced outside sexual health clinics and pregnancy counselling centres in NI to protect staff and women accessing services, a report has said.

Protests and demonstrations would not be allowed within the zones.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-56578466


Campaigners Welcome Historic Day As Abortion Decriminalised In Northern Ireland

CAMPAIGNERS WELCOME HISTORIC DAY AS ABORTION DECRIMINALISED IN NORTHERN IRELAND

21st October 2019
For immediate release

Today is a landmark moment for reproductive rights in Northern Ireland, and for women and girls who have been living under one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world. At midnight tonight, abortion will be decriminalised, and we will be one step closer to free, safe, legal and local abortion in Northern Ireland. Women and girls in Northern Ireland have been left behind for too long - and today marks a historic step in bringing this cruel injustice to an end.

In July 2019, the UK Parliament voted in favour of an amendment proposed by Stella Creasy MP and supported by pro-choice groups across the UK. Section 9 of the Northern Ireland Executive Formation Bill 2019 passed by 332-99 votes in the House of Commons and 182-37 in the House of Lords. Section 9 states that decriminalisation of abortion would take effect if no Executive was formed in Northern Ireland by October 21st.

Continued: https://londonirisharc.com/press-releases/2019/6/14/campaigners-welcome-historic-day-as-abortion-decriminalised-in-northern-ireland


UK: MPs call for buffer zones around abortion clinics after women are told they will ‘die of cancer’ by protesters

MPs call for buffer zones around abortion clinics after women are told they will 'die of cancer' by protesters

Verity Ryan
12 December 2017

Buffer zones must be introduced around abortion clinics, MPs have said, after hearing evidence of sinister intimidation of staff and women by pro-life protestors.

Staff have been followed to their cars and called "murderers" while women having abortions have been told they will "die of cancer", a parliamentary committee was told.

Continued at source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/12/mps-call-buffer-zones-around-abortion-clinics-women-told-will/


UK: New powers to stop campaigners intimidating abortion-clinic patients considered by Government

New powers to stop campaigners intimidating abortion-clinic patients considered by Government

More than 110 MPs wrote to the Home Secretary urging her to consider ‘buffer zones’ around clinics, banning praying, silent vigils and brandishing of pictures of foetuses

Lizzy Buchan Political Correspondent
Nov 26, 2017

New powers are being considered to protect women seeking abortions from intimidation and harassment by demonstrators outside clinics, Amber Rudd has announced.

Anti-abortion campaigners have been known to confront women outside family planning facilities with pictures of foetuses and to host “abortion vigils” where they pray for people to change their minds on seeking a termination.

Continued at source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/amber-rudd-abortion-clinics-ealing-marie-stopes-bpas-labour-rupa-huq-pro-life-a8076431.html


UK mulls tougher laws to protect women from abortion clinic protesters

UK mulls tougher laws to protect women from abortion clinic protesters
Home secretary considers bolstering police and civil powers amid concern about tactics used by some demonstrators outside clinics

Sunday 26 November 2017

New laws could be introduced to protect women from being harassed and intimidated at abortion clinics, the Home Office has said.

The home secretary, Amber Rudd, has ordered an in-depth assessment of protests outside family planning clinics following concerns about the tactics used by some demonstrators.

The review aims to gather evidence from police forces, healthcare providers and local authorities before considering what action can be taken to protect those using or working in abortion clinics.

Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/26/abortion-clinics-uk-mulls-tougher-laws-to-protect-women


UK: Jeremy Corbyn backs call for abortion clinic buffer zones

Jeremy Corbyn backs call for abortion clinic buffer zones

Labour leader is among 113 MPs who signed letter to home secretary calling for action to protect women from anti-abortion protesters

Jessica Elgot Political reporter
Thursday 26 October 2017

The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has backed calls for clinics to have a buffer zone to protect women from persistent anti-abortion protesters, in a letter from 113 MPs from parties across the House of Commons.

The letter to the home secretary, Amber Rudd, which is also signed by the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, the Green party co-leader, Caroline Lucas, and the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, says women “face daily abuse when undergoing terminations”.

Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/26/jeremy-corbyn-backs-call-for-abortion-clinic-buffer-zones


U.S.: Anti-Choice Legal Attacks Make It Harder to Access Clinics Themselves

Anti-Choice Legal Attacks Make It Harder to Access Clinics Themselves

Jul 11, 2017, 2:19pm Jessica Mason Pieklo

In addition to helping pass abortion restrictions at the state level, anti-choice activists are challenging those laws that do protect clinics and patients.

Restrictions on abortion rights and access are not limited to the variety pack of legislation advanced by anti-choice lawmakers year after year. In their attempts to obstruct patient access to providers and clinics, the anti-choice movement has gone on the offense at the local and state level. Not only do clinics often have to adhere to arbitrary standards primarily enacted to make it more difficult to provide care; the laws set up to protect their care, and their patients, are under attack.

Continued at source: Rewire: https://rewire.news/article/2017/07/11/anti-choice-legal-attacks-harder-clinics-themselves/