Abortion clinic staff feel ‘abandoned’, says charity

14 June 2025

Staff at an abortion clinic feel "abandoned" by police because no-one has been prosecuted following more than 40 reports of alleged criminal damage to their vehicles, a charity has said.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) runs the clinic in Ophir Road, Bournemouth, which anti-abortion protesters had stationed themselves outside of before a council order was implemented in 2022.

The clinic was brought to international attention when US Vice President JD Vance raised concerns over the prosecution of a man who breached a protection zone around it.

Contiuned: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7872evvyeyo.amp

Trump’s DOJ Has Put Reproductive Health Clinics Under Threat

With the administration’s refusal to enforce a key law for protecting clinics, abortion providers are bracing for increased disruptions.

Grace Segers
May 29, 2025

Calla Hayes, the executive director of A Preferred Women’s Health Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, is used to protesters. The clinic sees thousands of anti-abortion demonstrators outside of its doors each year; the same group of faces greets her each day.

But in the months since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, she’s seen a change in their behavior. Hayes believes that turnover in the White House, along with the Supreme Court decision nullifying Roe v. Wade in 2022, has emboldened the activists outside her clinic’s doors to start “pushing boundaries.”

Continued: https://newrepublic.com/article/195810/abortion-providers-threats-trump-administration

Northern Ireland – Retired pastor denies illegal protest at abortion safe access zone in Coleraine

Clive Johnston disputes the charges on a devolution point and under the European Convention on Human Rights

Paul Higgins
Fri Mar 21 2025

A retired church pastor on Friday denied conducting an illegal protest at an abortion safe access zone in a Coleraine hospital.

Appearing on behalf of Clive Johnston at Coleraine Magistrates Court, defence counsel Aaron Thompson entered pleas of not guilty to the two charges on behalf of the 76-year-old retired pastor, revealing that the defendant disputes the charges on a devolution point and under article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2025/03/21/retired-pastor-denies-illegal-protest-at-abortion-safe-access-zone-in-coleraine/

Scotland – Anti-abortion group starts Lent hospital protests

March 5, 2025

US anti-abortion group has started a series of Lent protests outside a Glasgow hospital but says it will not break Scotland's new buffer zone law.

Campaigners from 40 Days For Life have pledged to stay outside the 200m (656ft) safe access zone around clinics.

Last month a 74-year-old woman became the first person in Scotland to be arrested for protesting near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20drjg3ly0o

‘Shameful’ anti-abortion protesters slammed over month-long ‘vigils’ targeting Glasgow hospital

The 40 Days for Life campaign group confirmed that it plans to hold a series of 'prayer vigils' outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in March and April despite Scotland's newly established buffer zone laws.

By Ruth Suter, Craig Meighan, PA Scotland
24 FEB 2025

Pro-choice campaigners have hit out at a US group's "shameful" plans to stage anti-abortion protests outside a Glasgow hospital for over a month.

The Texas-founded 40 Days for Life hosts demonstrations around the world and has announced intentions to hold "prayer vigils" in clear view of the maternity unit at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow.

Continued: https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/shameful-anti-abortion-protesters-slammed-31069308

UK – Safe zones outside abortion clinics come into effect

It will be a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly obstruct anyone from accessing abortion services immediately outside of clinics.

Serena Barker-Singh, Sky News
Thursday 31 October 2024

From today, "safe access zones" will be introduced to create a 150m-wide area outside clinics to stop anti-abortion campaigners from handing out leaflets, holding vigils and showing graphic images to women near the sites.

The protection areas will be introduced outside all abortion clinics in England and Wales to ensure women seeking abortion services will be better protected from harassment or distress.

Continued: https://news.sky.com/story/safe-zones-outside-abortion-clinics-come-into-effect-13245090

UK – As protest ban starts, I spent day at abortion clinic

Oct 30, 2024
Emma Barnett, BBC Radio 4

When I arrive at an abortion clinic in south London, four protesters - three women and one man - are gathered on the opposite side of the road alongside a picture of the Virgin Mary, which is draped in rosary beads. They are silently mouthing prayers, and ask not to be interrupted.

Protesters outside abortion clinics, standing with signs - sometimes featuring graphic images of foetuses - have become a norm. This can be worrying and upsetting for some of the women going in for their procedure, who are sometimes approached by these individuals. The same is true for the healthcare staff working at the clinics.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7v3dlld58qo

30.10.2024

Opinion

1967 Abortion Act

Ailish McEntee

anti-choice harassment

anti-choice intimidation

anti-choice protesters

buffer zones

Emma Barnett

MSI Reproductive Choices

Defending the right to abortion shouldn’t be a dangerous job

September 28, 2024
Fernanda Doz Costa, Director of Gender, Racial Justice, Refugees and Migrants Rights Program at Amnesty International

Hate emails, stigmatization, death threats, stalking, burglaries, attacks, harassment at work and at home. Killings. This is what life is like for many who provide life-saving reproductive care, including abortions.

Facilitating safe access to abortions has become an increasingly dangerous undertaking in most corners of the world, despite huge progress to expand access to healthcare.

Continued: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/09/defending-the-right-to-abortion-shouldnt-be-a-dangerous-job/

Russian High School Students ‘Sickened’ by Graphic Abortion Video

Sep 27, 2024
Alexander Ryumin / TASS

High school students in Russia’s Far East were shown a graphic video of a medical abortion video during an unannounced lecture, the Telegram news channel Ostorozhno Novosti reported Friday.

“Many felt sick while watching,” the outlet wrote, citing students from school No. 7 in the Sakhalin region town of Okha, around 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) east of Moscow.

A video accompanying the report showed students turning away in the school auditorium as the footage played on a large screen. According to Ostorozhno Novosti, students were told to “turn away” if they felt uncomfortable watching the close-up procedure.

Continued; https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/09/27/russian-high-school-students-sickened-by-graphic-abortion-video-a86499

27.09.2024

News

anti-choice cruelty

anti-choice harassment

anti-choice hatred

anti-choice intimidation

anti-choice misogyny

Russia

Anti-choice

Scotland – Abortion protests near clinics banned as buffer zones law goes live

Sep 24, 2024

The MSP responsible for the introduction of buffer zones near abortion clinics has hailed the first day of the new legislation as "crucial".

Green MSP Gillian Mackay was behind the bill which prevents anti-abortion protesters from gathering within 200m (656ft) of clinics where the procedure is carried out.

The zones, which are now live, were introduced as a result of Mackay’s Safe Access Zones Scotland Act, which was passed in June with the support of 118 MSPs from across the Chamber.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98y1ryd6d3o