An extensive buffer zone is being put in place around a clinic in Dorset in order to prevent anti-abortion campaigners harassing service users and staff.
The zone will cover six streets around the British Pregnancy Advice Service clinic in Bournemouth and will be in force for 12 hours a day, five days a week for the next three years.
Anyone caught protesting, harassing, intimidating or photographing visitors or staff could incur a fixed penalty notice of £100 or be liable for conviction at a magistrates court.
Women have complained of being followed into the clinic or accosted when they leave. They have reported being told “the baby loves them” or asked whether they know they “murder babies” inside the building.
One worker told the Guardian she has witnessed “many distressed clients”, including one who injured herself trying to climb a wall to avoid walking past the protesters.
In another serious incident, an individual dressed in a monk’s cassock followed a staff member along the street in the dark while recording her.
Protesters have also brought along plastic foetus models, pushed leaflets through car doors, called women “mummy” and hung baby clothes on a hedge.
One service user said: “It was really intimidating. You’re in a really vulnerable situation and you have all these people shouting at you and saying you’re going to hell.”
The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) comes into force on Thursday. It says the nature of the protest restricted includes “graphic, verbal or written means, prayer or counselling”.
It also covers “holding vigils where members audibly pray, recite scripture, genuflect, sprinkle holy water on the ground or cross themselves if they perceive a service-user is passing by”.
Bobbie Dove, portfolio holder for community safety and regulation on Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council, said: “Teams from the council and Dorset police have worked extremely hard to understand the difficulties and experiences of people either visiting or working at the clinic.
“We tried to find a negotiated position, which could be agreed upon by all the parties involved, but this was unsuccessful.
“We then launched a two-month consultation on options for the area and the strength of support for the introduction of a PSPO was clear from the number of responses we received.
“Whilst we acknowledge the right of anyone to conduct a peaceful protest, we had to balance this against the distress caused or likely to be caused.”
Insp Joe Wheable, of Bournemouth police, said: “Dorset police recognises the rights of people to conduct peaceful protests, however we also recognise that everyone has the right to access medical services without being subject to distress.”
The clinic is in a residential cul-de-sac, a 10-minute walk from the railway station. One of the building’s windows has had to be fitted with a special film so protesters cannot look inside.
The council is following in the footsteps of Ealing council, which implemented a buffer zone around a clinic in 2018.
Sister Supporter Bournemouth, which has campaigned for a buffer zone, tweeted that it was “elated”. The Ealing Sister Supporter group tweeted its congratulations, calling what has been going on as “the worst anti-choice harassment outside a clinic in the UK”.
There were 2,241 responses to the consultation, with 75% of respondents supporting the principle of a PSPO being implemented and 24% opposed.
