Press release – Mothers condemn Ealing council decision to introduce abortion clinic censorship zone to criminalise prayer and support

Press release – Mothers condemn Ealing council decision to introduce abortion clinic censorship zone to criminalise prayer and support

 In Be Here For Me
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A group of mothers helped by vigil members outside abortion clinics have condemned a decision by the Ealing Council Cabinet this evening to introduce a censorship zone.

A large crowd opposing the censorship zone joined the mothers outside the Ealing Town Hall as the decision was made by the Cabinet. The mother helped who were helped by vigil members outside abortion clinics spoke to the group assembled about the immense pressure they faced to go ahead with a termination; how they were helped by vigils outside an abortion clinic; and why they are calling for the public to oppose censorship zones (commonly referred to as ‘buffer’ zones)

The Council decided to adopt a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) that would institute a censorship zone outside of the Marie Stopes Clinic on Mattock Lane. The PSPO is so broadly worded that it criminalises offers of support to women, as well as criminalising prayer.

This decision follows the publishing of a report last week that ignored the testimony of women who have been helped by vigils, and asked Cabinet members to attach only limited weight to the 1,430 submissions made through the Be Here For Me website to Ealing Council which strongly opposed the introduction of a PSPO.

The Be Here For Me campaign is run by mothers helped by vigil members outside abortion clinics and has been set-up to oppose the introduction of censorship zones that would ban help for women outside abortion facilities. They are being supported by women who have volunteered to help those who want to keep their children but have no help available to them.

Three women have also gone public with their stories in a video from the campaign (https://youtu.be/03xLOhUSr2o) and many more women helped by vigils have shared their own personal stories on the www.behereforme.org website.

Alina , who was supported outside an abortion centre, who spoke to the Ealing Cabinet meeting, said:

“The process before the Cabinet (meeting) has whitewashed out my voice and the voice of hundreds of women like me. We now know the consultation was just a publicity exercise and the decision was already made back in October”.

Betty, who was supported outside an abortion centre, said to the Council Cabinet at the end of the meeting:

“I cannot give up on this. You can see the two children here. Go back and review what you have just done.”

Asha*, who was supported outside an abortion centre and made a submission to the Ealing Consultation, said in her submission to the council:

“I have personal and direct experience of meeting the pro-life people from the Good Counsel outside the Marie Stopes Clinic on Mattock Lane, Ealing last October when I attended the clinic for a proposed abortion and absolutely refute the Council’s allegations that there is any harassment, name calling or signs of intimidation as women either enter or leave the clinic.”

Elizabeth Howard, who supports mothers outside the Ealing abortion centre said:

“I am dismayed, but not surprised, by Ealing Council’s decision to ban offers of help outside the abortion centre here. Hundreds of women over the years have accepted this help and are grateful for the chance to keep their babies. This decision will harm vulnerable women who need our assistance. These are women who can’t get support anywhere else. The consultation exercise was completely skewed and the cabinet deliberations this evening were utterly one-sided. Ealing has taken a profoundly regressive step.”

Clare Mulvany, who supports mothers outside abortion centres said:

“A shameless and bone headed decision by the council to criminalise perfectly reasonable behaviour and to outlaw the offering of information & charitable assistance to those who have none.
This ban is inimical to civil rights and sets a very dangerous precedent.”

“The campaign for a PSPO has clearly been the fruit of a friendly collaboration between Ealing Council, abortion activists and the abortion industry. Untested assertions, which appear to have principally been gathered after the anti-vigil campaign was underway, have been uncritically accepted & repeated again and again by councillors, the media and even our local MP.”

“Lurid stories of harassment and other wicked behaviours have all been unjustly attributed to members of the wholly peaceful vigil. This has had the entirely predictable effect of stoking public disapproval of them. “

“Repeating and validating untested allegations is shockingly irresponsible on the part of the council and has already incited angry and even violent attacks upon vigil members who are completely innocent of any anti social behaviour.”

*’Asha’ has asked that her name be changed to protect her identity.

ENDS