Carmarthen preacher Stephen Green fined for abortion clinic protest

1st February 2024
By James McCarthy & PA Media, BBC News

A preacher who protested outside an abortion clinic has been convicted of breaching a protection order.

Stephen Green, 72, held a sign bearing a religious verse in a part of Ealing, west London, covered by a public spaces protection order (PSPO) last February.

Outside the MSI Reproductive Choices Clinic, it was the first such zone to be introduced in the UK. Green's conviction was welcomed by campaigners who said people were fed-up of seeing behaviour like his.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-68174047

01.02.2024

MSI Reproductive Choices

UK – Bournemouth abortion clinic protesters lose prayer campaign case

15th December 2023

Christian campaigners have lost a legal challenge to an order banning prayers outside an abortion clinic.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council imposed a "safe zone" in 2022 around the clinic in Bournemouth.

Campaigners Livia Tossici-Bolt and Christian Concern argued the Public Spaces Protection Order was illegal.

However, two High Court judges said any interference with human rights was justified by the "legitimate aim" of protecting the clinic's clients.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-67731454

15.12.2023

News

40 days for life

anti-choice protesters

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Christian Concern

Livia Tossici-Bolt

Lord Justice Warby

Public Spaces Protection Order

New Zealand – Big win for Dunedin’s ‘dicks guy’

Hamish McNeilly
Aug 01 2023

Sam Sharpe continues to hold a counter protest over anti abortion protesters who gather outside Dunedin Hospital on Fridays. Dunedin’s famous ‘Dicks guy’, will soon be a dicks guy no longer.

Sam Sharpe has famously led a counter-protest against abortion protesters near an abortion clinic at Dunedin Hospital every Friday for nearly ten years.

Continued: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/gender-and-society/132656626/big-win-for-dunedins-dicks-guy

01.08.2023

Dicks guy

Dunedin Hospital

pro-choice counter protest

Northern Ireland to introduce abortion safe access zones by September

Anti-abortion protests will be banned outside abortion clinics in Northern Ireland by September 2023, the Department of Health has said.

5 JUL 2023

The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) 2023 was one of the last pieces of legislation approved by MLAs shortly before the Northern Ireland Assembly dissolved at the end of March 2022.

Its enactment was delayed after the bill was referred to the UK Supreme Court by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland amid concerns that it represented a disproportionate interference with the rights of protesters under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Continued: https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/northern-ireland-to-introduce-abortion-safe-access-zones-by-september

05.07.2023

News

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill

buffer zones

captive audience

European Convention on Human Rights

UK – MPs back abortion clinic buffer zone law

Oct 18, 2022

Plans to enforce buffer zones around abortion clinics in England and Wales have been backed by MPs.

Under the proposed law, harassing, obstructing or interfering with any woman attending an abortion clinic would become a criminal offence.

Protesters found guilty of breaching 150-metre buffer zones around clinics would face up to six months in jail.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-63302710

Canada – NDP tables bill to ban pro-life protests near abortion clinics

Saskatoon / 650 CKOM
May 16, 2021

The Saskatchewan NDP wants to ban pro-life protests near abortion clinics.

Its Women’s Status Critic, Jennifer Bowes introduced a bill that would limit anti-abortion protests inside a “bubble” of 150 metres from any facility that performs abortion.

Continued: https://www.ckom.com/2021/05/16/ndp-tables-bill-to-ban-pro-life-protests-near-abortion-clinics/

Protesting outside SA abortion clinics has been outlawed as new laws pass Parliament

Nov 11, 2020

Protesting outside South Australian abortion clinics has been outlawed after new laws passed the Upper House in State Parliament late last night.

The bill, which was passed about 10:00pm on Wednesday, makes it an offence to protest within 150 metres of an abortion clinic.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-12/protesting-outside-abortion-clinics-outlawed-in-south-australia/12874852

UK – MP seeks to ban demonstrations outside abortion clinics

MP seeks to ban demonstrations outside abortion clinics

Jun 24, 2020

A bill seeking to ban demonstrations outside abortion clinics has been proposed by Labour MP Rupa Huq.

Last year, pro-life protesters lost a legal challenge against the UK's first buffer zone implemented around a clinic in Dr Huq's constituency.

Ealing Council said a 100-metre exclusion zone at the Marie Stopes centre had been put in place after women complained of being intimidated.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53150759

UK / SPAIN – The Court of Appeal upholds the legality of a buffer zone around a London abortion clinic

UK / SPAIN – The Court of Appeal upholds the legality of a buffer zone around a London abortion clinic

by International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion
Aug 23, 2019

The buffer zone around the clinic was imposed by the London council of Ealing in April 2018, but the call to impose national buffer zones around all clinics was rejected by the Conservative government’s Home Secretary in September 2018, in spite of the existence of strong evidence presented to him for imposing them.

This new judgment, handed down by Lady Justice Eleanor King and Lady Justice Nicola Davies is the first at appeal court level and provides solid case law for backing for other Public Spaces Protection Orders in the future.

Continued: https://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/uk-spain-the-court-of-appeal-upholds-the-legality-of-a-buffer-zone-around-a-london-abortion-clinic/

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