Firstly, I know I will probably never say anything as I appreciate that the protestors have the right to protest but it really pisses me off.
A small group of people have been protesting outside the Marie Stoppes clinic in Belfast since it opened in 2012. They stand outside the door on the days it is open holding anti abortion posters and trying to gather signatures for a petition. I pass them on my way to get to the station at home time and every time it annoys me. I can't imagine how offputting they would be if you were young and scared and just wanting some advice. Lots of pics of aborted foetuses etc. I find it intimidating enough myself and I am just walking past. I actually put my head down and walk quicker so that nobody asks me to sign the petition.
I'm currently pregnant with my second and am lucky never to have been in a position where abortion was an option but am of the opinion that there are situations in which it may be the best option available.
The clinic itself operates within NI law so only offers abortions up to 9 weeks and as far as I know is the only such clinic in Northern Ireland. I think I would be ok with the protestors doing their stuff elsewhere in the city centre it is the fact that it is just outside the only entrance to the clinc that makes me irrationally angry. Does this happen at other Marie Stoppes clinics elsewhere in the UK?
MNHQ have commented on this thread
AIBU?
To really want to say something to these abortion protestors?
Crocodileclip · 07/03/2014 18:10
YANBU
I love the idea of adopting a protestor 
I live in Dublin and there's a Marie Stopes near my work. I used to get my pill/smears done there and used to delight in laughing at the rosary waving old biddies outside and shaking my head at them. That always confused them! The doctor working there had worked in a number of sexual health clinics across Europe, and told me (depressingly) that except for in Scandanavia, there are these idiots at all clinics everywhere.
When I was heavily pregnant Youth Defence were doing an awful mass billboard campaign. Two protestors dared to try and hand me leaflets as I was waddling to the bus, and my word, did I rain down an expletive-filled torrent of hormonal rage on them...!!!!
A few months ago I was pleased to see in the central city two female police officers/Gardai arguing with a male anti choice protestor (who had the disgusting dead fetus billboards) and ordering him to clear off.
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Pure In Heart get my blood pressure going....!
All I can say is thank fuck for Boots introducing the morning after pill at their Irish stores a couple of years ago, other pharmacy chains have offered suit. Massively increases access and reduces cost for young people.
Doc at Marie Stopes told me they get lots of teens coming up from rural Ireland because they're scared to go to their local GP about contraceptives, STIs 
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I did a nursrry nurse course in NI in the 80's we had someone from a pro life organisation come in to give us a talk. I got threw out for daring to ask questions 
. We didn't have a pro choice speaker .
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At the BPAS clinic in Southampton the staff advised us that there were some protestors outside as we were due to leave
They did all sorts of procedures at the clinic and they suggested we carry our own bag if possible and make our OHs walk a bit funny to look as if they had had the snip
They also suggested telling them to piss off if we felt like it
I wasn't feeling terribly social and was all set for fisticuffs quite frankly - but there was no-one out there!
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Yeah but that principle of just deciding for yourself never seems to hold, does it. Like GPs here can decide not to refer women on if they themselves don't believe in abortion.
Because yes, signing a piece of paper to enable a woman to access necessary and legal medical care is SO the same thing as having an abortion yourself. Gosh, who would have thought that choosing to work in general practice for the state health service in a democratic country where abortio is legal would involve helping women access it? 
This reminds me of those awful people in the US who picket people's funerals. Horrible bullying and all about themselves, not actually about the aborted embryos.
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