Residents near a Glasgow hospital demand Texas based religious group leaves area despite buffer zone law.
Residents near the Queen Elizabeth Hospital were upset and told a religious group to leave. The group, called 40 Days for Life, is based in Texas, USA.
The group held a prayer vigil on Wednesday, blocking the main route to the maternity ward. They stood outside a 200-meter safe zone, but people saw them from the hospital. The protests are planned daily, 8 AM to 8 PM, until April 13.
The new law bans protests within 200 meters of clinics, but neighbors felt “deeply distressed” by their presence. Melanie Long, who had medical care at the hospital, found the protestors “extremely distressing.” She thought the buffer zone law would stop this, as she feels they judge women.
She said the protesters harass vulnerable people, and their actions upset women and residents. She believes they should protest in parliament and that the buffer zone should extend beyond 200 meters. Laura Cameron, another resident, felt “deeply unsettling” by the protest, calling it a form of harassment. She pities people who must walk past them and also wants the law extended further.
Daniel Grant also sees the protestors outside his window and thinks they should pray elsewhere. He questions their empathy, stating that the 200m zone fails to protect women. When asked about the protest, the group did not respond. Rose Docherty leads the Scottish group and was recruited via a “pro-life grapevine”.
The Safe Access Zones started last September because healthcare workers feared unsafe online abortions and cited clinic harassment. Leaflets spread misinformation about abortion. Last month, a woman got arrested for a similar protest at the hospital.
A police spokesperson said they know about the protests and will police them.