Stop the anti-abortion protests outside UK clinics

[go_away]

Are we allowed to post links to petitions? Mods can remove it if it's not allowed, not before I bad my eyelids lots :flirt:

Basically, there's a petition going around collecting signatures for action against people who protest outside abortion clinics. Because they're not breaking the law, and standing on public property, there's nothing we can do.

They harrass the women going in by handing out false information, try to emotionally blackmail them and we often have women in tears at reception. They have also followed some of our staff home - one of our cleaning ladies was tapped on the shoulder and called a murderer.

It might not change the world, but if at least our voices are made known, it could help - even if it meant they'd have to be at least 50ft away from the clinics.

Over 200 sigs so far, please add yours if you wish.

Voila (http://www.ethical-business.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=1647&page=1#sigs)

[twinklestar]

I have signed and will send it to my workplace to see if any colleagues wish to add their signatures.

[go_away]

That's fab, thank you so much :)

Since I put it up, 3 new sigs have gone up :yippe:

[Guest_]

Bam.

[littlemissy]

Done :)

[go_away]

Yay :D

I really should go and revise now :chin:

[Mist]

I have signed. go me.

[Acrobat]

Done :)

[Namaste]

Isn't it these people's right to protest?

If they're harassing you then do them for that... Otherwise there's nowt you can do.

[Doofay]

Done

[go_away]

What they fail to realise is that in saying they're 'justified to do whatever it means to save a life' is as justified as trying to covert me to their religion by force.

Some people claim it's sexual harassment as it's based only on a possible consequence of a sexual act, and is regarding a woman's reproductive organs.

If I believed absolutely nothing could be done then I wouldn't have posted this. The sheer contempt I have for these people and the vile things they do will never stop me fighting.

[Namaste]

But it's still their right to protest.

I do believe their actions are sexual harassment personally... BUT if they're just standing there quietly with their plaquards then there's nothing wrong with that. Preventing them from protesting is removing one of their basic rights.

Don't get me wrong, I support what a woman wants to do to her body.

[go_away]

For me, they lost their right to protest when 3 of them posed as clients and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage - when they hand out blatant lies (apparently abortion will give you an eating disorder) - and when they started following our staff home and following them round the parks during their lunch hour.

I'd need to speak to the people higher up at the clinic about further action, but if they *must* protest about the destruction of teh unborn baybees I'd rather they did it at least 50 ft away.

I know what you're getting at Moonrat, but I suppose you actually have to come and see them in action at the clinic, and see the reactions we get afterwards inside to understand the frustration beind it. Since I've been working there, they've never changed a single woman's mind.

[Namaste]

Then they aren't protesting, they're causing criminal damage and harassment and you should go to the police, not put up petitions. If what you are saying is true then these people might be dangerous and need to be sorted out.

[go_away]

-']Then they aren't protesting, they're causing criminal damage and harassment and you should go to the police, not put up petitions. If what you are saying is true then these people might be dangerous and need to be sorted out.

The ones responsible for the criminal damage were charged. Regarding the harassment, I don't quite know what can be done given that we don't know these people's names and once they've said their piece they rarely show up again. The regular everyday protesters know which side of their bread is buttered, and they never say anything that they know would incriminate them, the extreme ones are like bees - they sting once, then they die.

I don't know much on the laws surrounding it, but I'd assume it would be a case of our word against theirs. We only ignore them anyway, we're not allowed to speak to them and I doubt the police would be interested in hearing, "This woman handed me a leaflet with an aborted foetus picture and told me, "You don't have to do this" etc"

Like I said, I need to speak to the managment, but I don't see the harm of a petition as a collective.

More importantly, are you going to sign ;)

[Namaste]

I'm afraid I won't. These people have a right to protest and if they're causing that much trouble then it's up to the police to sort them out.

It would go against my standards to sign such a thing. Sorry.

Look through this (http://www.yourrights.org.uk/your-rights/chapters/the-right-of-peaceful-protest/index.shtml)

[go_away]

Suit yourself, and there's no need to apologise if you're not really sorry, if it goes against your personal standards, then I understand your convictions.

I just hope you're never in a position where you or someone you care about is exposed to it.

[Namaste]

Suit yourself, and there's no need to apologise if you're not really sorry, if it goes against your personal standards, then I understand your convictions.

I just hope you're never in a position where you or someone you care about is exposed to it.
Somebody I care about has had an abortion. I just believe in a person's right to protest.

I myself have been involved in protests in my town (not anti-abortion) and have been threatened with violence by passers by, sworn at, some people spat at us and in the end I had to stop because I work in a town centre pub. Of course not everybody holds the same attitude as the nasty people we met.

But the thing is the anti-abortion people believe that what they are doing is right, whether they're doing it for religious or personal reasons. To them abortion is murder and that's why they're doing a protest.

[go_away]

I know why they're protesting, but it would be naive to think it's just about saving babies. I've seen some of the venom in their literature and know about enough about other's experiences to realise that sometimes, it's often about trying to guilt trip the women.

Anyway, I digress, and I really really should be revising.

Out of interest, what were you protesting to get such a nasty response from people?

[Namaste]

I know why they're protesting, but it would be naive to think it's just about saving babies. I've seen some of the venom in their literature and know about enough about other's experiences to realise that sometimes, it's often about trying to guilt trip the women.

Anyway, I digress, and I really really should be revising.

Out of interest, what were you protesting to get such a nasty response from people?
Anti war...

I'd do a lot more in my area, but I honestly don't feel safe doing it, with people's attitudes. I haven't told anybody apart from close friends that I went up to Edinburgh for example because the majority of people have condescending attitudes in my experience about anything like that... Some even call you a traitor because you're not supporting your white working class man.

Of course, not everyone's like that.

[Ballerina]

if they think its wrong then its up to them....but harrasing staff at the clinic and the women isn't fair.

[Namaste]

if they think its wrong then its up to them....but harrasing staff at the clinic and the women isn't fair.
It's not a question of ethics as the idea of morality is subjective. A lot of people would say that women having abortions are amoral, or need to be talked out of it.

It's about the right to protest isn't it? If these people have lasted so long they can't be overstepping their priviladges.

How many are there go_away? Is the clinic private or NHS? What exactly have they been saying and doing that they've got away with?

[wheresmyplacebo]

-']Isn't it these people's right to protest?

If they're harassing you then do them for that... Otherwise there's nowt you can do.


its their right to protest and to emotionally blackmail, handing out false information isnt allowed though, and i know for fact they do this too....

[go_away]

It depends. It's a private clinic. Our protesters are actually quite tame compared to some. I know that what started off the petition was the reaction to the ones in Kent so you'd have to go around asking all the clinics to get a better idea. And then obviously, America is worse. An online friend of mine had her picture taken by protesters and it's on the web, I'll try and find it for you. Someone else had their tyres slashed.

Back in the UK our most prolific protester is Little Man who hands out leaflets with misinformation and lies (I can post one to you if you want). He's harmless most of the time, and only comes out when the weather is good.

Then we get the 'Abortion Kills Babies' group. They like to stand outside holding placards with 'aborted foetuses' - funnily enough are all in the third trimester. They've been known to follow the partners of the clients around trying to talk them out of it.

The prayer group comes on a Saturday. Most of them are old people who sing, pray etc. There's normally at least 30 of them, and if you can imagine being a woman who has flown in from Ireland that day with all her baggage etc, it's pretty damn intimidating, because these people can see your face, and you have to walk past and through them to get to the clinic.

Strange Lady doens't show her face very often. You're most likely to find her following staff members around - she likes to also hang out in the park (we're next door to a park). We've seen her time to time doing some very close inspections of the grounds.

Like I said, this lot are fairly tame, but still unwelcome and I'd rather they'd keep their distance rather than hanging around right next to the front gates. Our clinic is a large house, so we're pretty exposed despite the security.

The story of the criminal damage is for another time, I need to get back to my studies.

It might seem harmless to a lot of people, but try putting yourself in the shoes of the women terminating, and it's a different story. Like I said, I'd rather these people were at least 50ft away, rather than being right next to the gates so that people have to walk through them.

[J]

I don't believe abortion is a good idea so I'm not going to sign. Other than that these people have thier rights to protest.
Good luck with the campaign though :)

[go_away]

its their right to protest and to emotionally blackmail, handing out false information isnt allowed though, and i know for fact they do this too....

There's nothing to say they can't.

It's then part of our job to assure them that no they won't get breast cancer, yes they will be able to bond with their other children, no it's not like Vera Drake, no we don't eat the foetuses, no you won't become infertile, no the walls of the clinic aren't splattered with blood etc

We're very vigilant though, and the clients almost always hand the leaflets for us to throw away.

[Namaste]

It can be intimidating... It's a sensitive subject but I'm sure their plaquards are no more worse than "Bush and Blair are war criminals" or for example a woman's rights rally or a black rights rally. Somebody will always be intimidated by protest and no matter what the cause is, some people will always try and stop things because of what they believe 'evil' or whatever to be.

I'm sure that if the land that they're protesting on is private (the land they're on is private isn't it?) they can be removed. Are there more than 20 people?

If the leaflets are threatening, abusive or stirring racial hatred then it's against the law. But maybe when you've finished studying, would it be Ok to maybe post up what they've said here? Or send me a message with the info? I'm just curious...

[go_away]

It's a sensitive subject but I'm sure their plaquards are no more worse than "Bush and Blair are war criminals"

Depends if Bush and Blair have pictures of them decapitated and spattered with blood. I don't want to give the link but you can go and look at the Centre of Bioethical Reform and look at their 'choice' posters. It ain't pretty, but be aware that they drive these pictures around on trucks.

would it be Ok to maybe post up what they've said here? Or send me a message with the info?

Sure, I can make photocopies when I get back to work and put them online.

I'm not sure about the land, I don't know how far our blueprints go, will have to ask.

[lea_uk]

Signed.

[Cuddilicious]

Signed it as well. :)

[JsT]

Signed.

Amazing how many peoples full names on there I recognise ;o

[Kermit]

It's odd isn't it Mr Taylor.

I've signed it.

The trouble is with these petitions is that it makes these people martyrs.

[budda]

There were protests of this ilk outside a clinic near me, the sign 'Abortions kill babies' struck me as stating the obvious. Maybe I was missing the point.

[jake0]

signed ;)

[Cuddilicious]

I remember they were holding a protest in my town. They had pictures/scans of the embryo/foetus on posters they had pasted round were they were protesting. But they also had horrific pictures of what a embryo/foetus looked like outside the womb with blood everywhere to help horrify the people that just wanted to shop peacefully with their children. I was just disgusted by that. I mean, I was with my niece at the time and had to make sure she didn't see that last picture as I know it would have upset her seeing something like that.

[nicebutdim23]

ive signed -it's a difficult situation that is made more traumatic by experiences that the protests offer.

[ruby_soho]

ive signed -it's a difficult situation that is made more traumatic by experiences that the protests offer.

Yeah agree totally.

[purplebutterfly]

Just signed. I agree to the right to protest and freedom of speech, but to harass and upset some one when they are in an extremely emotional situation such as having an abortion does not help.

[livingforonething]

You say that all christians that protEst outside abortion clinics are harming or stalking the staff. Thats like saying all 18yr olds have sex.I am one of those people who stand utside abortio clinics and the organisation who i work with stands by the belief that we should be peaceful in our protest. In fact we don't say anything we just stand outside with tape saying "life" over our mouths.
They also tell us that as we stand outside of the abortion clinics we should never judge the peopl working in or going to these abortion clinics.
Like i said not all christians stand outside of abortion clinics with plaquards just the ones who don't understand that we shouldn't judge

[Jim V]

Are we allowed to post links to petitions? Mods can remove it if it's not allowed, not before I bad my eyelids lots :flirt:


It's cool but really fits in the choose action section so I'll shift it there - however you'll still have link in Anything goes

[Franki]

It's cool but really fits in the choose action section so I'll shift it there - however you'll still have link in Anything goes
Jim! This thread is so old. It even has Jakey in it :(.

[Jim V]

Oh fucks sake - didn't see the date - I am such a noob

[livingforonething]

did you guys find out if the petition did anything?

[JsT]

Oh fucks sake - didn't see the date - I am such a noob
I did tell you this :p

[J]

What they fail to realise is that in saying they're 'justified to do whatever it means to save a life' is as justified as trying to covert me to their religion by force.

The question is are they actually saving life? Is it a life you are terminating? I think there needs to be a definate answer. If it is a life then in theory they have as much power to stop you "murdering" unborn babies as I would have had with my gun to stop someone murdering another person with their weapon. Ie: I could have killed them dead on the spot and it WOULD have been justified and perfectly legal provided I could prove that they had intended to kill their victim. What makes it easier in my case is I don't have to somehow prove that the person was alive in the first place...