‪Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary, is today calling on the Government to look at measures to prevent patients and healthcare staff being harassed or intimidated at abortion clinics. 

Organisations like BPAS, which deliver advice services, counselling support and abortion services for women considering terminating pregnancies, have noted an increase in the number of protests outside abortion clinics, with some positioning themselves directly outside clinics and blocking entrances. They describe women being confronted with distressing images, of protesters trying to discuss their decision to terminate a pregnancy with them or trying to film or photograph them. Their staff have also faced harassment, with one woman at a clinic in Chester needing a police escort to leave her workplace and get to her car. 

This activity is interfering with women’s access to legally available advice, counselling and medical treatment. 

In the US, Canada and France, a number of measures have been introduced to stop anti-abortion protests happening directly outside clinics and approaching either patients or staff. These include establishing buffer zones around the clinic; “Floating buffer zones” or “bubble zones” which prevent protestors coming within a certain distance of staff or patients at clinics; restrictions on photography and recording; blocking entrances or exits; shouting or voice amplification; and disclosing of the identity of anyone entering, leaving, or approaching the clinic. 

None of these measures prevent anti-abortion protests, they just restrict the distance from clinics protests can be held to stop women accessing healthcare from being distressed, harassed or intimidated.

Campaign groups, like Abort67 and 40 Days for Life have encouraged people to protest outside abortion clinics, targeting medical professionals working in abortion clinics and support action to challenge women’s decision to terminate a pregnancy. Some centres have considered closure because of the intimidation and harassment. 

The Shadow Home Secretary is calling on the Government to look at the experience of countries abroad and to consult with health service providers, patients and the police about the potential for operating buffer zones here. 

Yvette Cooper said: 

“Women need to be able to attend sensitive health care appointments – including abortion services – without facing intimidation and harassment. And health care workers need to be able to do their jobs without intimidation too. 

“We don’t want the kind of harassment and abuse that we’ve seen in the US imported into Britain.”