Abortion protest buffer zones: Ministers to hear Aberdeen’s case for new byelaw

By Alastair Gossip

August 7 2022, 6:00 am

Pro-choice protestors at Aberdeen's Castlegate amid calls for abortion buffer zone in the city. Picture by Paul Glendell/DCT Media, July 2022.

Aberdeen will have a seat at the table at talks on how best to introduce protest-free buffer zones around abortion clinics.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd has confirmed city representatives will be invited to a summit with lawmakers “in the coming weeks”.

Maree Todd MSP Minister for Public Health.

The issue has become the latest to cause ire and division at Aberdeen Town House, as councillors – most who are supportive of the plans – accuse each other of “hijacking” the agenda.

Aberdeen unable to introduce abortion buffer zones without government input

Aberdeen City Council is unable to unilaterally introduce a byelaw to tackle protests near the abortion clinic at Foresterhill.

But Ms Todd has promised the Granite City will be involved in a mini-summit with council umbrella body Cosla on how to bring a local law forward.

In June, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced Edinburgh and Glasgow could become Scotland’s first cities to bring in protest-free buffers.

Now it appears Aberdeen will also be working with them to be among the first to install the 150-metre safe radius around clinics.

Labour’s Deena Tissera and Aberdeen’s SNP deputy leader Miranda Radley campaigned on the issue. Supplied by Jacob Campbell

Meanwhile, Caithness, Sutherland & Ross MSP Ms Todd has invited two city councillors – the SNP’s Miranda Radley and Deena Tissera of Labour – to a meeting with government ministers and officials later this month.

In a letter to them, she thanked the council for voting to explore safe access zones, adding: “Women’s right to bodily autonomy is of paramount importance and should not be subject to discussion.”

Fiery debate on Aberdeen abortion protest buffer zones

There was division at an emergency meeting of council last month on the matter of buffer zones – but it came down to how it was phrased.

Since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, there have been concerns about protestors picketing facilities across the country.

📍ABERDEEN MATERNITY HOSPITAL

We’re looking to speak to anyone – patients, staff, members of the public – who have come across anti-choice groups like the one below at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.

Please share. DMs are open. pic.twitter.com/dI2Kye37PQ

— Back Off Scotland (@backoffscotland) May 21, 2022

Earlier this year, American-based anti-abortion group 40 Days For Life held a prayer vigil at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Not all councillors are supportive of the ban, with Jennifer Stewart previously telling The P&J she feared it was a step closer to a “police state”.

Aberdeen councillors to take calls to government ministers

Council operations convener Miranda Radley admitted that, despite public support, introducing safe zones “is not a simple task”.

SNP council operations convener Miranda Radley will meet the Scottish Government's ministerial working group on a byelaw for an abortion protest buffer zone in Aberdeen. Picture by Wullie Marr/DCT Media. — SNP council operations convener Miranda Radley will meet the Scottish Government’s ministerial working group on a byelaw for an abortion protest buffer zone in Aberdeen. Picture by Wullie Marr/DCT Media.

“There is a real risk of legal challenge, and a law or byelaw that is struck down by the courts isn’t going to protect anybody,” she said.

“I’m appreciative to have been offered a place in the working group and I hope I can play a small part in the enactment of buffer zones in Aberdeen, and hopefully across Scotland.”

Ms Tissera, who prompted the council debate on the protest-free areas, has taken up the offer of meeting the ministerial working group too.