A Leeds abortion clinic has hit back at “unthinkably cruel” abortion protesters who have been “distressing” pregnant women outside their building.
A trio of activists spoke out about how they’re sick of people laughing, shouting and honking at them while they preach outside MSI Reproductive Choices Treatment Centre in Barrack Road, Sheepscar. They’ve vowed to picket there for 40 days during the clinic's opening hours, the demonstration started on September 28 and is due to finish on November 6.
Amanda Tierney, Operations Manager at the clinic, has called them out on their behaviour. She is also calling for a national buffer zone around clinics where anti-abortion activists can’t legally picket, so women can access abortion care safely, in privacy and with dignity.
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Ms Tierney said: “It’s unthinkably cruel to harass someone while they are accessing a sensitive medical service at what can be a difficult time. It’s also arrogant.
“Most people attending an abortion clinic have already come to the decision that is right for them. The truth is these campaigners target women and girls because they don’t trust us to make our own reproductive choices.”
Parishioners Magdalena, who didn’t want her last name printed, Patrick O’Sulivan and Irene Toth have been demonstrating as part of a ’40 Days For Life’ campaign. The movement has been taking shifts to picket outside from 7am to 7pm each day in two-hour slots.
The activist’s have attempted to influence pregnant women’s decisions by handing them leaflets as they enter and praying for them to have a “change of heart”, while kneeling outside the clinic. This behaviour has been called “intimidating” and “distressing” for the women entering.
The clinic manager went on to say the clinic has a good relationship with West Yorkshire Police but there is “unfortunately” very little the force can do in this situation. Ms Tierney has also been having discussions with Leeds City Council to introduce a buffer zone around the Barrack Road clinic.
Ms Tierney added: “We are a pro-choice country with relatively liberal laws, and the small but vocal minority that aggressively opposes abortion knows they are unlikely to ever achieve their goals of preventing abortion through legitimate democratic means.
“Instead, they resort to harassment, intimidation, misinformation, and manipulation. This simply isn’t acceptable.”
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