Pro-life campaigners in Northern Ireland have been branded "abhorrent" after a number of fake coffins were displayed outside a hospital entrance on Wednesday.
Images surfaced online on October 19 showing a protest taking place outside the main entrance of Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.
A number of small pseudo-coffins with crosses on them appeared on the grounds, with signs harbouring anti-abortion slogans also materialising.
Read more: Mum's heartbreak after baby boy dies due to "rare and life-limiting condition" .
The anti-abortion lobbyist, Precious Life, also staged protests outside Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry and Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.
Lauren McCauley, Alliance for Choice North Coast, said: “North Coast for Choice took to Causeway Hospital to attempt to block the view of small white coffins, crosses and graphic signs.
"This abhorrent behaviour directly hurts those in our community, regardless of what healthcare procedure they are seeking access to. These actions are extremely traumatising for people who miscarry, receive devastating severe or fatal fetal abnormality diagnoses, have stillborn children and for those who have terminal illnesses.
"We received a great reception from many local people who expressed their disgust at the actions of Precious Life. We stood our ground for nearly six hours, until the anti-choice presence ceased.”
Another local member, Amy Merron said “Yesterday England and Wales passed legislation to ensure pregnant people no longer have to endure this harassment. It is a shame that we still have no preventative measures in NI, especially after the passing of Clare Bailey’s Safe Access Zones bill in Stormont."
Meanwhile, Director Precious Life, Bernadette Smyth, standing outside Althnagelvin, said that "innocent babies were being murdered" inside the Western Trust hospital.
She said: "We have talked to members of staff who have said that this is not in their name. They don't come to work in a place that kills innocent children.
"They are here to save lives. Abortion destroys lives because it's not healthcare. It's important for us to witness, especially this week, in the run-up to the anniversary of the passing of legislation that was forced on Northern Ireland from Westminister.
"Since the legislation was passed and the law was implemented, we have lost the lives of 4,136 baby boys and baby girls. This is unbelievable that such a pro-life country, that the Westminister government took upon themselves to force a law here that allows abortion."
However, Sinn Féin MLA for East Derry, Caoimhe Archibald said the scenes outside the Causeway Hospital were 'disgraceful'.
She added: “These protests have become a regular feature and are clearly designed to offend.
"People accessing healthcare, staff going to work at the Causeway Hospital or visitors should not have to face protesters, harassment and intimidation while accessing the site in what may well be difficult circumstances.
"I have raised the issue of these protests with the Northern Trust and PSNI on a number of occasions and will be following up on this as action is needed to protect people accessing a wide range of health services.
"The Assembly passed legislation to provide for safe access zones outside healthcare sites to ensure anyone accessing health care can do so in a safe way, free from harassment.
"The legislation is currently in the Supreme Court but these ongoing protests outside clinics and hospitals highlight the real need for it to be implemented."
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust said: "Our position is clear. All patients and staff should be able to access any healthcare facility for any treatment free from harassment, intimidation and confrontation.
"As a Trust – a provider of health care services - we have no powers of enforcement in relation to public protests on the public highway.
"However, we continue to monitor the situation to ensure that protests only take place outside of the hospital grounds. Where required, we can and will liaise with the PSNI."
The Western Trust has also been contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.
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