Pro-life campaigner: they want us 'completely removed from the public square'

​A pro-life campaigner has claimed the anti-abortion lobby wishes to see those holding opposing views “completely removed from the public square”.
Bernadette Smyth at a Precious Life protest in Belfast in 2021. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/PacemakerBernadette Smyth at a Precious Life protest in Belfast in 2021. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
Bernadette Smyth at a Precious Life protest in Belfast in 2021. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
By [email protected]
Published 19th Dec 2023, 17:00 BST

Bernadette Smyth of Precious Life made her comments in response to a BBC NI report, which revealed that police are investigating up to 50 potential breaches of laws providing safe access zones (SAZs) outside abortion clinics across Northern Ireland.

The BBC reported highlighted that a sign comparing Causeway Hospital in Coleraine to a Nazi concentration camp was seized near the Lodge Road Roundabout in November, and that three people were cautioned by policec for public order offences.

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Legislation passed at Stormont in 2022, makes it illegal for people to be "impeded, recorded, influenced or to be caused harassment, alarm or distress" within the eight designated areas.

Offenders could face a fine of up to £500.

East Londonderry MLAs Cara Hunter and Claire Sugden are supporting the extension of the exclusion zones, with Ms Hunter describing the imagery used by the pro-life protestors as “shocking”.

She said: "There is a right to protest but for many it's traumatising seeing some of the imagery here”.

However, Ms Smyth said that although the trust’s figures show that 1637 abortions have been carried out by the Northern Trust alone since abortion was legalisted in 2020, none of the politicians who support abortion have expressed shock or distress at the numbers.

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“The legislation for these draconian zones was passed by pro-abortion parties, SDLP, Sinn Fein, UUP, Green Party and People before Profit,” Ms Smyth said.

She said the same “abortion fanatics” now want “to gag all pro-lifers and have them completely removed from the public square”.

Ms Smyth said the BBC “failed to mention that many of the incidents reported to police were cases of people taking part in the pro-life vigils being harassed and attacked by pro-abortion activists,” and added: “The pro-life vigils near the abortion centres are perfectly legal. The Department of Health has produced maps showing the limits of the exclusion zones. Therefore, pro-life groups can still hold vigils or protests in any public area outside these limits.

"Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are protected under… the Human Rights Act. The right to expression of religion is also one of the key principles of the Good Friday Agreement.”