British lawyers have threatened to launch a first-of-its-kind legal action to introduce a ‘buffer zone’ outside abortion clinics to stop protesters ‘heartlessly’ targeting women seeking pregnancy terminations, reports The Independent</strong>.
It writes that women across the UK often suffer abuse while seeking an abortion, with more than 100 000 women attending clinics targeted by anti-abortion demonstrations in 2019. Good Law Project, a legal watchdog, and Sister Supporter, an abortion rights campaign group, say that women seeking abortions and staff working at an abortion clinic in Camden in central London have been harassed by anti-abortion activists for years.
In a letter, lawyers threatened to launch legal proceedings against Camden Council if they do not take action to protect women and staff. Campaigners said the legal letter provides a model for forcing councils to roll out ‘buffer zones’ around the country.
Lawyers have requested a response from the council outlining the measures it will take by 24 May – threatening formal legal proceedings if they miss this deadline. Camden Council drafted a buffer zone order and said a consultation on a zone would be carried out in June last year but has failed to take action on this, despite campaigners presenting them with evidence of the sustained intimidation and harassment that women endure outside the clinic.
Gemma Abbott, legal director at Good Law Project, said that she is ‘hopeful’ action in the central London borough can be the start of a national policy to tackle the problem.