UK – Decision to ban protests at London abortion clinic upheld

Decision to ban protests at London abortion clinic upheld
Campaigners lose high court challenge over protest-free buffer zone at clinic in Ealing

Sarah Marsh
Mon 2 Jul 2018

A council’s decision to ban anti-abortion protesters from gathering outside a London clinic has been upheld in the high court.

Campaigners lost a legal challenge to a move by Ealing council to create a 100-metre, protest-free “buffer zone” around the Marie Stopes clinic. The council was the first in the country to take such a decision in an attempt to shield women from demonstrators.

continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/02/decision-ban-protests-london-abortion-clinic-upheld-high-court-ealing

UK: Ealing Council nears abortion clinic ‘buffer zone’ amid harassment

Ealing Council nears abortion clinic 'buffer zone' amid harassment
A Marie Stopes clinic in London could be the UK's first to receive the cordon after MPs were told of intimidation against women.

Tuesday 16 January 2018
By Greg Heffer, Political Reporter

Pro-life campaigners could be banned from gathering outside an abortion clinic after a council neared establishing what would likely be the UK's first buffer zone.

Ealing Council agreed on Tuesday night to undertake a public consultation on a possible Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) around the Marie Stopes clinic in west London.

Continued: https://news.sky.com/story/ealing-council-nears-abortion-clinic-buffer-zone-amid-harassment-11210696

UK: Pregnant women ‘so distressed by anti-abortion protesters they refused to leave clinic in fire alarm’, MPs told as Government considers buffer zones

Pregnant women 'so distressed by anti-abortion protesters they refused to leave clinic in fire alarm', MPs told as Government considers buffer zones

MPs met today to consider how to protect women from harassment at abortion clinics

Francesca Gillett
Dec 13, 2017

Pregnant women have been left so distressed by pro-life protesters that they have refused to leave abortion clinics even during a fire alarm, MPs were told.

Women who attend clinics have been filmed or photographed, called “mum” and physically blocked by vocal anti-abortion campaigners in a bid to stop them from terminating a pregnancy.

Continued at source: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/pregnant-women-so-distressed-by-antiabortion-protesters-they-refused-to-leave-clinic-in-fire-alarm-a3717811.html

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: ‘This is groundbreaking’: the activists ending harassment at abortion clinics

'This is groundbreaking’: the activists ending harassment at abortion clinics

Tired of women having to run the gauntlet of anti-abortion vigils, UK campaigners are making history with protective buffer zones

Alexandra Topping
Friday 27 October 2017

A young woman with blue hair and a wide smile cycles past the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, west London. When she spots the Sister Supporter volunteers wearing luminous pink tabards emblazoned with the words “pro-choice”, she rings her bell and calls out: “Well done! I think it’s incredible what you have done.”

The group, set up just two years ago, has achieved minor celebrity status in this part of west London. Along with others, it helped convince the council earlier this month to vote in favour of a implementing a buffer zone around the clinic, to protect women from persistent anti-abortion protesters. After a two-month consultation, barring any unforeseen interventions, the ruling will come into effect and the protesters will be pushed back.

Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/27/abortion-clinic-ealing-london-buffer-zone-activists-women?CMP=share_btn_link

US-style abortion battles loom in UK amid claims of intimidation

US-style abortion battles loom in UK amid claims of intimidation
As street tensions increase, pro-choice group says a London council must curb ‘harassment’ of women at Marie Stopes clinic

Jo Griffin
Saturday 7 October 2017

A London council will decide on Tuesday whether to pursue a public space protection order to prevent the harassment and intimidation of women accessing abortion services at the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, west London.

In the first case of its kind, Ealing council will debate the move after a petition from local pro-choice group, Sister Supporter, which demanded action to stop anti-abortion protesters holding vigils six days a week outside the clinic and approaching patients.

Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/07/us-abortion-uk-intimidation-london-marie-stopes