Scottish locals have weighed in on the latest ban to hit the country, as new restrictions on protests outside abortion clinics come into force today.
The legislation, put forward by Gillian Mackay MSP, means that any protesters wishing to demonstrate against a woman’s right to the emergency healthcare will have to be a minimum of 200 metres away from any clinic that offers the service.
Despite being called a “crucial day for reproductive rights” by Mackay, protesters gathered in their droves outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, dominated by signs made by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.
Speaking to GB News reporter Tony McGuire, the people of Glasgow offered their support for the ban, noting that a woman’s right to healthcare is not a “matter of public opinion”.
Scottish locals have delivered their verdict on the latest ban on abortion buffer zones
GB News / PA
One lady told GB News that if they “feel it is necessary” to protect pregnant women, the ban should be in place.
She explained: “The example I heard this morning was if they had a young person who’d been involved in a rape and they were choosing to abort the child, and then facing all these people protesting outside, it’s a really, really hard thing.
“I’m not sure if that’s an exception, but it’s an emotional time for anybody.”
Echoing her thoughts, another man in Glasgow was on board with the ban, claiming it is “an individual’s choice” on whether to have an abortion or not.
Protesters gathered outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh as new laws come into force across Scotland
PA
He said: “The ban is good. If people want to have that abortion and the right to an abortion, then I don’t see why people should protest against that.
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“It’s an individual’s choice, not a public opinion, and certainly not my opinion.”
Also in agreement with the legislation, a young Scot claimed that the ban is right to be put in place to protect women from feeling “endangered or unsafe” during a medical aspect of their life.
They added: “I believe it is a good thing because people have got to take a look at all these different safeguarding issues and what we can do amongst the community.
“And you don’t want people to feel endangered or unsafe within any part of medical aspect, because if you’re needing care, you’re going to need to get that care.”
Residents of Glasgow weighed in on the implementation of the ban, effective from today
GB News
Speaking to another young woman in Glasgow, she also agreed that the protesters need to “respect the rights” of women and their decision to have an abortion.
She told GB News: “Yes it is a good thing because I feel like for women and children, it would be kind of hard for them to go somewhere where they can go privately to abort a child.
“People have got rights, and some people need to respect their rights.”