..to be disappointed that plans for buffer zones outside abortion clinics have been shelved.

[UpstartCrow]

''Sajid Javid has rejected calls to introduce buffer zones outside abortion clinics to prevent “upsetting” protests because most protestors just pray and hand out leaflets. ''

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/09/13/sajid-javid-rejects-plea-introduce-buffer-zones-outside-abortion/
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Sajid Javid has rejected a cross-party demand to introduce exclusion zones around all abortion centres in England and Wales, saying it would not be a “proportionate response” despite the harassment that takes place outside some clinics.

www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/13/sajid-javid-rejects-call-exclusion-zones-outside-abortion-clinics-england-wales

Local councils have the power to introduce exclusion zones around clinics. But we've already campaigned for this.

Do you object to the measures that are put in place for political party annual conferences? There are exclusion zones for traffic, armed police etc etc. Surely people should have the same right to protest immediately outside party conferences?

It’s very disappointing. I live near the Ealing clinic and have to walk past several times a day. The behaviour from some of the protesters was dreadful and I have intervened on numerous occasions. Also, having had a stillborn baby at 28 weeks, the foetus pictures they used to put along the clinic’s wall were extremely distressing.

Frankly they disgust me and I am disappointed that they still have any sort of presence, though it’s better than it was. Can’t help but think if they really gave a shit about the children they’d go and do something actually useful to help vulnerable populations rather than standing around all day doing fuck all.

Bump for the evening crowd.

Its a shite state of affairs

I dont know what they are thinking!

Assasinatedbeauty I am sure the government could argue that those protesters are being offensive to Saudi Arabia. If you listen to Mark Thomas and his attempts to protest you would realise how damaging this legislation would be.
I don’t like the people protesting outside abortion clinics but I am also terrified at the prospect of the government having more powers to silence dissent.

But they aren't "silencing dissent". They just moved it down the road a bit so it can no longer identify and verbally abuse vulnerable women availing themselves of medical services.

I assure you the Ealing protesters haven't been silenced. They've just been prevented from actively harassing people at the entrance, so now they have to actually, you know, peacefully protest instead of being utter fucking arseholes.

YANBU. At all.

But saying protesters cannot protest near what they are protesting is a way of shutting down protest. I know what these people do is vile but I cannot understand the desire to give away our hard fought for freedoms.

No it's not. Freedom to protest doesn't mean freedom to harass. They aren't being "shut down". They're being told to do it where they can't harass women. That's all. No precedent is being set for curtailing freedom of speech.

Lovejoy They are near the clinic still. The designated zone is 2 mins down the road, about 100 metres. Many people on their way to the clinic would pass them by and have the opportunity to hear their deluded nonsense if they so wish.

They are harassing women and it needs to stop. I've seen them become really nasty to women. I had an abortion and was very confident in my decision but they are still intimidating.
Staff should not he harassed at work.

Being able to make a decent protest you need to be closer than “down the road”. I know these people are asshats but please stop trying to give away our rights.

No one has fought for that right. Fuck off.

I'm really not seeing why closeness has anything whatsoever to do with efficacy of protest. In the case of abortion, presumably what they want is a change in the law, so why picket the clinic at all? Protest in Parliament Square, protest the Home Office, organise a march through Central London, lobby your MP. Why on earth would your protest's success or not be affected by distance?

You don't have a right to harass women going about their lawful private business.

Did hunt sabatours have a right to harass hunters who were going about their lawful business?

Amanduh please try to raise your level of debate out of the gutter.

No, of course they don't which is why that sort of thing is policed and the two sides kept apart.

And again this is nothing like patients using a medical facility for treatment.

Very disappointed and pissed off tbh.

No they didn't. And the permanent animal rights protest outside the Oxford Uni labs don't have a right to harass researchers. And the McDonald Two did'nt have a right to harass people trying to buy a meal. They had the right to protest.

The ones at the clinic in my area just stand in silent prayer. Should they be banned?

Yes. It's intimidating and intended to pressurise women into not going through with the medical procedure they've decided is right for them.

I wonder why they don't hang round nightclubs and pubs to protest instead...they could hand out leaflets about safe sex to men who are chatting up women and will potentially be the ones who get women pregnant.....though it's probably easier and safer to just target vulnerable women.

Countess nails it: I'm really not seeing why closeness has anything whatsoever to do with efficacy of protest. In the case of abortion, presumably what they want is a change in the law, so why picket the clinic at all? Protest in Parliament Square, protest the Home Office, organise a march through Central London, lobby your MP. Why on earth would your protest's success or not be affected by distance?

By all means have all the protests you want so long as you are not harrassing vulnerable women at a fairly shitty point in their lives. You can make your political point without being an arsehole.

Also - political protests should be aimed at politicians, not at individual members of the public going about their lawful business.

Don't like the international arms trade? Picket parliament or arms fairs, not the houses of individual people who work in the factories.

Don't like filmed pornography (I personally don't). Picket parliament or awards ceremonies for "best porno ever", but don't picket the houses of individual performers.

Don't like abortion? Picket parliament to try to get lawmakers to change the law, don't harass individual women in the street.

Absolutely fucking ridiculous. YANBU.