UK – Council ban on protests outside abortion clinic upheld by appeal court

Council ban on protests outside abortion clinic upheld by appeal court
Anti-abortion activists argued Ealing’s buffer zone for Marie Stopes clinic was unjustified

Frances Perraudin and agencies
Wed 21 Aug 2019

Anti-abortion activists have lost a court of appeal challenge against a council’s decision to ban protesters from gathering outside a clinic in west London.

Judges on Wednesday dismissed an appeal against an earlier ruling that the restrictions imposed by Ealing council outside a Marie Stopes clinic were justified.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/aug/21/council-ban-on-protests-outside-abortion-clinic-upheld-by-court-of-appeal

UK – Anti-abortion protesters contest ban at Court of Appeal

Anti-abortion protesters contest ban at Court of Appeal

16 July 2019

Anti-abortion campaigners have told judges a "buffer zone" outside a London clinic defies their right to protest.

Attendees of a vigil run by the Good Counsel Network (GCN) have challenged a ban on protests targeting users of the Marie Stopes facility in Ealing.

The 330ft (100m) buffer zone was imposed by Ealing Council in April 2018 after women complained of intimidation.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-49002638

‘Americanized’ anti-abortion protests are on the rise in the UK. But a fight back has begun

'Americanized' anti-abortion protests are on the rise in the UK. But a fight back has begun

By Amy Woodyatt, CNN
Tue July 9, 2019

London (CNN) Monika Neall was standing outside an abortion clinic in Manchester when she saw a woman in her mid-20s dart out the doors. The woman moved towards a parked car, then suddenly froze.

On the ground nearby lay plastic fetus models, candles and images of mothers gazing adoringly at babies. Panicking, she caught Neall's eye. "That's my car," she said, her voice starting to crack.

Continued: https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/09/europe/anti-abortion-manchester-protests-uk-gbr-intl/index.html

Anti-abortion activists harassing women at UK clinics during Lent

Anti-abortion activists harassing women at UK clinics during Lent
Clinic staff say protesters are calling women ‘murderers’ and giving out misleading leaflets

Simon Murphy
Mon 8 Apr 2019

Anti-abortion protesters are harassing vulnerable women at UK clinics as they ramp up demonstrations for Lent and are giving out leaflets suggesting that having a termination is harder to deal with than being raped, it has been claimed.

Hardline religious activists, some of whom are part of a so-called “40 Days for Life” campaign, have been targeting women in increasing numbers at 10 clinics across the country in the run-up to Easter, the Guardian has been told.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/08/anti-abortion-activists-harassing-women-at-uk-clinics-during-lent

Ireland – Anti-abortion activists ‘getting details’ of cases

Anti-abortion activists ‘getting details’ of cases

Ellen Coyne
February 1 2019

Anti-abortion activists who tried to coax a woman into a fake scan appointment also tried to report a separate termination to gardaí last week, The Times can reveal.

Activists working for the Good Counsel Network, which runs a rogue crisis pregnancy agency in Dublin, turned up at Drogheda garda station claiming to have knowledge about an abortion performed at Our Lady of Lourdes hospital. They called for the doctors involved to be investigated and possibly prosecuted.

Continued: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/anti-abortion-activists-getting-details-of-cases-f0kvschk8

Anti-abortion activists ‘obtain patient details’ and invite woman to fake scan

Anti-abortion activists 'obtain patient details' and invite woman to fake scan
'It's grotesque, it's disgusting,' minister says, as investigation launched

Zamira Rahim
Feb 1, 2019

Ireland's health minister has ordered an investigation after a woman's personal details were reportedly obtained by anti-abortion activists, before the information was used in a deceitful attempt to lure her to a location in north Dublin.

Simon Harris, who requested the inquiry, described the allegations as "extraordinarily concerning".

Continued: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/abortion-ireland-dublin-activism-patient-details-leak-simon-harris-hse-a8758871.html

Ban on anti-abortion protests at London clinic disproportionate, court hears

Ban on anti-abortion protests at London clinic disproportionate, court hears
Council accused of infringing freedom of speech with ban at Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing

Dan Sabbagh
Thu 7 Jun 2018

An anti-abortion group seeking to overturn the UK’s only exclusion zone around a Marie Stopes clinic, in Ealing, west London, have told judges they believe the council’s actions amounted to an illegal discrimination against their right to free speech and peaceful protest.

Alasdair Henderson, a lawyer representing a woman who is a member of the Good Counsel Network, said that the ban on protesters from being within 100 metres of the clinic should be struck down because the effect on the anti-abortion group was “inherently disproportionate”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/07/anti-abortion-protests-ban-ealing-marie-stopes-clinic-london

MPs call for exclusion zones around abortion clinics to stop protests

MPs call for exclusion zones around abortion clinics to stop protests
Home secretary urged to follow lead of Ealing council in effort to prevent harassment

Dan Sabbagh
Thu 31 May 2018

Dozens of MPs are demanding Sajid Javid introduce exclusion zones outside abortion clinics in England and Wales to prevent protesters from harassing women, ahead of a court case that could see the sole existing safety area scrapped.

Rupa Huq, who represents Ealing Central and Acton, accused the home secretary of sitting on a review started by his predecessor Amber Rudd, which she and 160 other MPs and peers from all parties believe could halt emotive anti-abortion protests that take place outside an estimated 42 clinics.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/31/mps-call-for-exclusion-zones-around-abortion-clinics-protests-harassment

UK – Ealing abortion clinic buffer zone comes into force

Ealing abortion clinic buffer zone comes into force

23 April 2018

A buffer zone has come into force around an abortion clinic in west London.

The order means neither anti-abortion nor pro-choice campaigners are able to stand within 100m (330 ft) of the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing.

Councillors voted unanimously to implement the safe zone after women complained of intimidation.

Continued: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-43864465

23.04.2018

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Britain enforces first abortion clinic exclusion zone

Britain enforces first abortion clinic exclusion zone

Apr 23, 2018

LONDON (AFP) - A ban on pro-life protests outside an abortion clinic in London came into force on Monday (April 23) in a first that pro-choice campaigners hope will set a precedent for the country.

The local authority in Ealing, west London, imposed an exclusion zone after claims that women and staff at the Marie Stopes clinic were being intimidated and harassed by vigils that have been held outside the building for more than 20 years.

Continued: https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/britain-enforces-first-abortion-clinic-exclusion-zone