An anti-abortion political party has been branded "disgusting" and "shameful" for attempting to compare buffer zones outside clinics to concentration camps under the Nazis.
The Scottish Family Party (SFP) tweeted a picture of Nicola Sturgeon outside the gates of Auschwitz in Poland with a speech bubble saying: "There should have been buffer zones around this place."
It comes on the same day the First Minister was set to convene a second summit on abortion and the introduction of safe areas around clinics that offer termination.
Green MSP Gillian Mackay and Labour MSP Monica Lennon have both called on the government to implement zones in order to protect women accessing sexual health and abortion services in the wake of escalating protests around clinics and hospitals.
The SFP also tweeted a thread which has been slammed.
It reads: "Mass killing by the state took place at Auschwitz, justified by the de-humanisation of Jews. Mass killing by the state takes place at abortion facilities in Scotland, justified by the de-humanisation of the unborn child.
"The point of the image above is that if Ms Sturgeon were to be consistent in her views, she should either oppose abortion and condemn the holocaust (like us), or approve of abortion and not condemn the holocaust.
"In the case of the latter, to be consistent, she would also want a Buffer Zone around Auschwitz. (The Conservatives, Lib Dems, Greens and Labour are all pro-abortion as well, of course.)"
Mackay hit out at the tweet from the SFP saying it was "appalling".
She added: "This is crass, insensitive and shameful. The Scottish Family Party are a disgraceful and extreme party that has been rejected time and again by the people of Scotland.
"Even by their standards this is appalling. If they have any decency they will remove it now and reconsider the messages they send and the content they share."
While Lennon said: "This disgusting and dangerous rhetoric is further proof that the so-called 'Scottish Family Party' should never be anywhere near elected office.
"Anti-abortion campaigners have been emboldened by the hesitancy of SNP ministers to take action against clinic harassment. Patients and staff should not have to run the gauntlet of extremists.
"Urgent progress must be made to implement buffer zones to make safe access to abortion healthcare in Scotland a reality."
An SNP spokesperson said: "This comparison is disgusting, harmful and deeply offensive. Access to abortion is a human right, and women should be able to do so free of harassment and intimidation."
In response one person tweeted: "Disgusting, repellent and getting reported." While another said: "Absolutely abhorrent tweet I’ve reported it too."
A third said: "This is utterly grotesque." A fourth person tweeted in reply: "You are seriously disturbing. Nothing about this thread is acceptable."
Mackay is currently taking a Bill through parliament that would create national buffer zones, however she welcome moves to use council bye-laws to create buffer zones that would prevent the harassment of people who are accessing abortion services.
She said: "Abortion rights are human rights. Nobody should be intimidated or abused when accessing healthcare. I commend all of the local authorities who are willing to look at their bye-laws. I hope that today’s meeting can move us a big step closer to stopping the shocking protests that we have seen from anti-choice campaigners.
"We also need a national solution. What we can’t have is postcode lottery, whereby some people are able to access abortion services without fear of harassment in some parts of the country, but others are not.
"I want to ensure that all people have the same rights regardless of where they live. That is why I have introduced my Member’s Bill and why I will be working with the Scottish Government and MSPs from all parties to progress the legislation as quickly as possible. This kind of harassment must be stopped. It has no place in a modern, caring, compassionate Scotland."
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
