THE implementation of a new law banning anti-abortion protesters from demonstrating outside clinics has been hailed as a “crucial day for reproductive rights” in Scotland.
The Safe Access Zones Act – passed overwhelmingly by MSPs earlier this year – comes into force on Tuesday with protesters now prohibited from gathering within 200m of an abortion facility.
Back Off Scotland – the campaign group set up to push for so-called “buffer zones” to be put in place – said protesters’ harassment and intimidation of women accessing abortion care will “quite rightly no longer be tolerated”.
Despite previous concerns Scotland would be the last country in the UK to implement such a law, the legislation is actually being enacted ahead of England and Wales, which will not be live until October 31.
Gillian Mackay, the MSP who spearheaded the legislation, said as soon as she became aware of women having to run the gauntlet of protesters outside the likes of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, she knew she had to act.
“This is a crucial day for reproductive rights and healthcare in Scotland and I hope that it will be the end of the intimidation and harassment we have seen of people who are accessing healthcare,” Mackay (below) said.
“Right from the first moment I saw footage of the protests, I could see how much damage they were doing and how many people were being impacted by them. I knew that I had to do everything I could to stop them.
“Over the days and weeks ahead, I will be working with the Scottish Government to ensure that patients and staff know where protesters can and can’t be so that they can report any activity that is against the law.”
The law prevents certain activities within a safe access zone including influencing someone’s decision to access, provide or facilitate an abortion, and preventing or impeding another person from accessing or providing the service.
Behaviours that could fall foul of the law include handing out leaflets, surrounding people as they try to go into a clinic, and silent vigils.
The zones will be in place at 30 health facilities across Scotland.
Police Scotland will be responsible for enforcing the legislation, and those breaching the new laws could face an unlimited fine in the most serious cases.
Lucy Grieve, co-founder of Back Off Scotland, told The National: “We’re absolutely delighted that the day of implementation is here.
“It’s shocking that despite so many public pleas from brave women and staff detailing their experiences, anti-abortion activists continue to organise protests at clinics.
“It’s clear that they don’t care about the patients at all, and just want to forcefully share their ideology and traumatise people in the process.
“It will quite rightly no longer be tolerated at the gates of medical facilities from today.”
Women’s Health Minister Jenni Minto described the law as a “crucial milestone” in protecting women’s right to abortion.
“No one has the right to interfere in women’s personal medical decisions and the law now makes that abundantly clear,” Minto said.
“The new zones of 200m around all abortion services will help ensure women have safe access to healthcare – free from intimidation. This law is about protection for women at a time when many will feel incredibly vulnerable around taking a deeply personal and difficult decision.”
