A petition has been launched to sanction protesting outside abortion clinics on the basis that abortion is not illegal in the UK.
The petition launched by 'Erika' has gained 225,771 signatures, not far from the 300,000 it will need to enter it into a parliamentary debate.
“Last November over a million people watched a video of a woman confronting protesters outside an abortion clinic. I was shocked that it is legal for people to protest and have recording equipment so close to the entrance of these clinics.”
Due to the freedom of speech act as well as citizens right to a peaceful protest, partnered with clinics not being situated on private land, the prevention of such demonstrations in a public space is concerning. More specifically concerning the health and safety of the individual attending the clinic.
Erika’s plea continued: “It is up to the pregnant woman to decide what she does about her pregnancy. Those decisions need to be made in private and not with a group of protesters filming and/or hounding her.”
An exclusion zone would stop protesting around the perimeters of abortion clinics nationwide and would act similarly to behavioural sanctions put in place by police networks across the country to control antisocial behaviour.
To find out more information or to sign the petition follow the link below: https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-please-create-a-legal-exclusionary-zone-outside-of-abortion-clinics?source_location=discover_feed
