ACTIVISTS have called for a buffer zone bill to be fast tracked through Parliament as hundreds gather outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow.
It is understood pro-lifers began to rally as pro-choice activists managed to "dwarf" their action with a counter-protest.
The protest seen on Sunday is part of the international 40 Days for Life campaign which has encompassed almost the entirety of Lent, which runs from February 22 until April 6.
The organisation aims to “end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses”.
Pro-choice activists sought to counter protest the action by putting up hundreds of signs outside the hospital in support of woman seeking healthcare.
Greg Irwin, a consultant paediatric radiologist at the Royal Hospital for Children who previously spoke to The National about the protests, tweeted an image (below) on Sunday afternoon and said: "The anti abortion protests at QEUH are currently dwarfed by over a hundred posters in support of women’s right to choose abortion healthcare."
He later tweeted that he had spoken "too soon" too soon as anti-abortion protestors bgan to show up in bigger numbers.
He added: "Heartbreaking seeing them all lined up facing the hospital like this. If this isn't intimidation, I don’t know what is."
Back Off Scotland, a group which campaigns for anti-choice protests to be banned outside abortion clinics, condemmed the action and said progress on buffer zone legislation "must be fast tracked".
They said: "We must pick up pace as a matter of priority and fast track it through the Scottish Parliament to stop this once and for all."
One activist shared a video from the protest with the caption "no one should have to walk through this to recieve healthcare" and tagged the First Minister.
We can't keep letting patients and NHS staff being harassed. No one should have to walk through this to receive healthcare. Please @HumzaYousaf Scotland needs Buffer Zones. pic.twitter.com/kUsOfdHfel
— Beth 🏳️⚧️🍉☂💜 (@pickle_bee) April 2, 2023
During the leadership campaign, Humza Yousaf told the group he is committed to bringing forward abortion decriminalisation proposals by the end of the parliament.
However the group, who have worked with Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay on her Safe Access Zones Bill, said the Bill is unlikely to become law before next year as it has not yet been introduced to parliament.
In a statement, they added: “Day in, day out patients and medical staff right across Scotland continue to be harassed and intimidated when accessing healthcare. This is not a new problem, it’s been going on since the 1990s and we’ve now been campaigning for the government to implement protest-free zones around facilities providing abortion since 2020.
"So far there has been little progress - the government are not treating this as a priority, and the promised Member’s Bill has not yet been introduced to parliament, meaning it’s unlikely to pass and become law before next year. Scotland is now unique in being the only U.K. nation not to have buffer zone legislation enacted.
"This has to stop. We need action now.”
