...to be bloody delighted that Ealing Council has created an exlusion zone

[twofingerstoEverything]

About bloody time. I hope every other local council in the land follows suit.

Absolutely. It's brilliant news. Those poor women.

I live near the clinic and I’m proud of our local council for doing this. Hopefully it will create a nationwide precedent.

It's a great thing - not just for the service users, but also for local residents. I doubt these people will go away entirely, but at least they won't be getting in the faces of women accessing a legal and much-needed service

The 'protestors' will have to find another hobby now.

Totally agree this is a good thing.

I love in the area, walk by the clinic almost everyday.

I thought it was ok when the protesters kept away from the entrance - they gathered near a tree opposite, more than a road width away, kept quiet. Seemed fair.

But then I saw them standing right by the entrance, loudly addressing women who went in, and sometimes following them down the streets with leaflets. I believe in free speech, but that was clearly harassment; they didn't give a shit about the obvious distress they caused.

The compromise they have now is more than fair, especially considering (based on the documentation I read part of the consultation survey) the protest groups complete intransigence.

Wish they could have banned the protestsers altogether.

I swear if I didn't have a newborn and other kids (and a job!) I'd go down to counter protests against these pro-life fuckwits.

Excuse typos. Feeding aforementioned baby so typing one handed.

good idea - sorry that we need it though.

Completely agree. These people have no shame, harassing potentially vulnerable women whose circumstances they know absolutely nothing about.

Not a moment too soon

Thank god! I used to walk past this clinic everyday until we moved 6 years ago, can't believe it's been going on for such a long time

Brilliant! Now for every other council to follow suit!

Excellant news. It should be rolled out nationwide.

I was listening to the mealy mouthed "We are only praying, that isn't aggressive" woman on Jeremy Vine yesterday. I could not get my head round her denial that any woman had ever felt threatened by their actions. Like, her perception that standing in the doorway and making ANY comment or suggestion wasn't going to be unwelcome, for the most part.

And then she said they were providing a public service because the clinic routinely break the law by not showing the women the scans, the stage of development their foetus is at. And no, that wasn't harassing or unpleasant either as nobody had to look - at the large pictures all along the pavement!

All in all her utter lack of empathy was infuriating! But she was right, wasn't she? Her god said so, so every woman who disagrees needs to feel shame and, basically, fuck off!

I have never wanted to slap someone as much as I did listening to her.... and I don't do slapping, usually!

10 ish years ago I was meant to go to this exact clinic and I was warned about there being issues outside and what sort of thing I might encounter

The dogmatic woman on Jeremy Vine was ghastly. I only caught five minutes of her claptrap, luckily. Nasty piece of work.

"get your rosaries off our ovaries"

Brilliant 😂

I am very much Pro Life, but I think that Ealing council have made the right decision.

Same as cloudyweewee

I am afraid that I remonstrated with the two men outside the Marie Stopes Clinic in Whitfield Street a couple of days ago. Their rosary beads were particularly cheap and nasty, and they told me they did no harm, I begged to differ. I am appalled that anyone should be menaced by people when going for a medical consultation.

Yeah hopefully it encourages other areas to do the same where necessary

Great news, hope this idea catches on in other areas.
I'm not a Christian, but I'm sure (with my very basic knowledge of such things) that Jesus didn't harass or intimate, nor did he encourage others to do so.

Their rosary beads were particularly cheap and nasty Because if their Rosary beads had been more designer, you would have respected their viewpoint more.

I'm really confused. I thought we had been through all this before with a clinic in Lambeth, or perhaps it was Southwark, and this sort of protest was going to be illegal from then on? Is it seriously up to every single council in the country to decide? What a waste of time and resources.

There have been confrontations with the clinic in Southwark but no law has ever been passed against these people. Hopefully, this will now encourage other councils and we will eventally see a proper law preventing these people from doing what they're doing. Our local group regularly takes to our high street with their posters, even though it's nowhere near a clinic. I have less of an issue with that, but still have an issue with their lies and their doctored photos and the terminology they use. It's shocking that there's no actual law against this sort of harrassment.