A buffer zone around abortion clinics comes into force in England and Wales for the first time today, preventing protesters from harassing women who are accessing the procedure.
The new measure makes it a criminal offence to cause ‘alarm or distress’ to people within 150 metres of a clinic, or to try and influence or obstruct those arriving.
That could involve distributing leaflets, protesting abortion rights or shouting at people on their way into the facility. Silent prayers and vigils are also now banned within the ‘Safe Access Zone’.
Anyone found guilty of such behaviour faces being handed an unlimited fine.
The Home Office said decisions on enforcement would be made on a ‘case-by-case basis’, with guidance for police and prosecutors being published today.
What is the safe access buffer zone at abortion clinics?
Buffer zones around abortion clinics have been in effect since last year in Northern Ireland and last month in Scotland.
MPs voted to introduce them in England and Wales in October 2022, but today is the first day they are in effect.
The law establishes a 150-metre zone around abortion clinics and buildings containing abortion clinics where people cannot demonstrate against the procedure.
Why are the zones now coming into effect?
Pro-choice campaigners have long been critical of protesters who gather outside clinics to try and persuade women not to get an abortion.
They argue that access to the service is a matter of healthcare and those who seek it should not be made to feel intimidated.
Despite the vote passing more than two years ago, the Home Office under the previous Conservative government did not put it into action across England and Wales. However, zones were established at some clinics.
Jess Phillips, the current government’s minister for safeguarding, said: ‘Getting this measure up and running as soon as possible has been one of our priorities and I am proud of everyone involved in getting us here.
‘The idea that any woman is made to feel unsafe or harassed for accessing health services, including abortion clinics is sickening. This stops today.’
What have anti-abortion and pro-choice groups said?
After the announcement of the enforcement date, Alithea Williams of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children said: ‘The shameless pro-abortion lobby continues to lie about the nature and practice of pro-life vigils, where selfless individuals offer help, moral support and real choice to women in crisis pregnancies.
‘There is no “fundamental right” to abortion, whatever Ms Phillips might say, and there is nothing “pro-choice” about denying help to pregnant women.’
Louise McCudden of abortion provider MSI Reproductive Choices said the organisation was ‘delighted’ that the measure had come into force.
She added: ‘People seeking an abortion in England and Wales will now be able to access care without harassment and intimidation on the clinic doorsteps.
‘As well as the harassment we experience outside our UK clinics, as a global provider, we are seeing very real rollbacks on reproductive rights, most notably in the United States since the reversal of Roe v Wade.
‘As anti-choice campaigners around the world escalate their tactics, trying to manipulate women with misinformation, this step from the UK government sends a powerful message that they stand with women and girls.’
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