One More Freedom To Protest Curtailed?

[anotheoldgit]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ealing-council-abortion-clinic-ban-protests-marie-stopes-london-labour-party-a8298621.html

All protests upsets someone, so should all protests be banned or only those which those who hold the power, choose to ban?

[chelle7272]

They are not exactly peaceful protestors though are they?

[ummmm]

Those protests should be banned from outside the clinic. The protesters are intimidating and it's not like the women attending are not already going through a traumatic decision.

[Baldric]

///“This was never about protest. It was about small groups of strangers choosing to gather by our entrance gates where they could harass and intimidate women and try to prevent them from accessing healthcare to which they are legally entitled///

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

[kvalidir]

I'm very much against curtailing freedom of speech and freedom to protest, however these were not legitimate protester, they were bullies trying to stop women accessing healthcare. THAT is unacceptable.

[Old_Geezer]

One might have thought that peaceful protest could remain and anything more curtailed by the authorities without giving up on their responsibility and simply banning. Life at stake is an emotional subject for both sides, so of course there is a tendency to desperately try to get the other side to change their view; but censorship seems a step too far.

[ubasses]

They have not actually been banned from protesting, only from doing it within 100 metres of the clinic, so as to stop them harassing the women attending.

[ummmm]

They can still protest, just not outside the clinic doors.

[woofgang]

I absolutely agree that this was the right thing to do and hope that other councils whose clinics have a similar problem follow suit.

[mccfluff]

that's harassment not protesting. Like ummmm said, these women are already having a traumatic/stressful time without someone forcibly pushing their own agenda onto them

[jno]

the freedom to harass pregnant women is being curtailed, which won't keep me awake at nights.

[Baldric]

I sometimes wonder about the OPer, appears to have no consideration whatsoever for the Rights of the Pregnant Women seeking healthcare to which they are legally entitled.

[Mamyalynne]

These groups have media outlets,literature,websites and no doubt could grab a spot at Speakers Corner to get their points across.

What do they choose?

Intimidating women accessing legal healthcare.

Smacks of cowardice to me.

[Islay]

Disgusting behaviour we had the same issue here in Belfast stopping women getting the help they need. When one of my colleagues told them off for harrassing a teenage girl - they followed him round the shop next door calling him names! Animals!!

[anotheoldgit]

Baldric

Where have I said that I have no consideration whatsoever for the Rights of the Pregnant Women seeking healthcare, but what I do feel strongly about is the right of protest for those who have something to protest about.

Regarding abortions, myself I have no objections, if for some reason a woman makes that very hard decision to have her pregnancy terminated, then of course it is up to her entirely.

[dannyk13]

//then of course it is up to her entirely.// and without being harassed or threatened by an unruly gang pf protesters.

[ummmm]

AOG...they are allowed to protest. Just not outside the doors intimidating women and doctors.

[Baldric]

The wording of the OP suggests you are more concerned with protesters rights than Legal access to Healthcare.

[Islay]

Funny how people flip flop over what people are allowed to protest at!
Now if it had been he favourite subject I wonder if he would still be so keen to allow the protest?