Bullying and harassment of women is never acceptable – whatever your views are on abortion. And when a doctor is forced to come to the defence of his distraught patients, it is time for protesters to think if they are truly following a Christian path.
Courageous doctor Greg Irwin, who works in the children’s unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, confronted an anti-choice group who were hounding women yesterday.
He told them they were upsetting his patients and staff, and politely asked them to leave. His colleagues had earlier witnessed women shaking and crying as a result of the abuse they received.
The US-based Christian group responsible was holding the first of 40 days of prayer vigils at the hospital, while waving placards showing photographs of foetuses.
Patients trying to access medical care had to run this gauntlet of hate to get in to the hospital. For those choosing to terminate a pregnancy, it is often the worst day of their lives – and it is never a decision a woman reaches lightly.
To be bullied by a mob in this way only adds to the distress of an already-traumatic experience.
That’s why 150-metre buffer zones around hospitals and clinics are essential, and why doctors at the sharp end of the debate must be listened to.
The misogynistic behaviour of those involved in this vile intimidation of women must be stopped. Those with Christian beliefs may not agree abortion should be a legal right but true Christians will abhor the vile targeting of women in this way.
It has absolutely no place in a modern, progressive Scotland.
Empty promises
The empty shelves we see in our supermarkets are a disgrace. Rationing on basic foods like tomatoes and cucumbers was once unthinkable.
While poor weather in north Africa and southern Spain has contributed, it is clear that Brexit has had an impact.
As Save British Farming chair Liz Webster said, the reason that there are shortages in Britain, and not in other countries, is because we have left the EU.
Those who campaigned for Brexit branded legitimate concerns over food security and imports as “scaremongering” from agents of “Project Fear”.
Perhaps they were not concerned about price hikes or rationing because they can pay to get around it.
But they didn’t care about the working people of this country, who have now been left without fresh vegetables and will pay more for items in the long run.
They promised a “Brexit Bonus” but all that we are getting now is a Brexit bashing.
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