Anti-abortion protests now banned from taking place too close to clinics in Northern Ireland
The move is designed to protect women from intimidation
From today it is illegal to hold an anti-abortion protest too close to an abortion clinic in Northern Ireland.
The law was passed in Stormont last year and is designed to protect women from harassment and intimidation.
The Department of Health said, “Safe Access Zones are being established under NI Assembly legislation to protect women and girls accessing abortion services, information, advice and counselling, and protect staff working at these locations.”
“It will be illegal for them to be impeded, recorded, influenced or to be caused harassment, alarm or distress within the Zones.”
“Under the legislation, Safe Access Zones can be established in the vicinity of health care premises providing lawful abortions, as well as at premises where information, advice or counselling about abortion services are provided.”
“The Zones will include the protected premises where these services are provided, as well as adjoining public space between 100m-250m from entrances or exits of the protected premises.”
The Zones will only apply to the strictly designated public space areas.
They do not apply to private properties.
The safe access zones have been introduced at eight health service locations across Northern Ireland.
These are..
• Southern Trust - Craigavon Area Hospital - 100m
• Southern Trust - Daisy Hill Hospital - 130m
• Belfast Trust - College Street - 130m
• Belfast Trust - Bradbury Wellbeing and Treatment Centre - 150m
• Northern Trust - Causeway Hospital - 100m
• Western Trust - Altnagelvin Hospital - 100m
• South Eastern Trust - Lagan Valley Hospital - 100m
• South Eastern Trust - Ulster Hospital - 100m
Information on the location of each Safe Access Zone is displayed at protected premises and published on the Department of Health and HSC Trust websites, and public signage highlighting the legal requirements has been erected at each Zone.
Anti-abortion group Precious Life has referred to the “safe access zones” as “censorship zones”.
Director of Precious Life Bernadette Smyth said the group “wont be deterred” by the “draconian exclusion zones” and that the zones have "serious implications" for the rights to free speech and assembly.
A "united march for the Unborn" has been organised from Portadown town centre to Craigavon Area Hospital this Saturday, 30 September.
Hear the latest news on Downtown Country on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.