UK abortion clinic targeted by US religious group

[Dale_M]

One of Britain’s main abortion providers said Wednesday that a campaign run by a U.S.-based religious group is intimidating women who use its services.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said activists from the 40 Days for Life group have been holding vigils outside one of their central London clinics and had on occasion filmed people coming in and out of the building. A spokeswoman said she asked the activists to stop filming but they refused.

“We’ve always had sporadic outbursts down the years, but I think we are seeing something, seeing protest on a scale we haven’t seen before,” she said.

Robert Colquhoun, a campaign director of 40 Days for Life’s London campaign, said its members are carrying out a peaceful Christian prayer vigil outside BPAS’s central London clinic.

news.yahoo.com/uk-abortion-clinic-targeted-us-172500551.html;ylt=Ak29jAiv5o.LvIn3rI45B8IZscB;_ylu=X3oDMTQzNjNiNzZ1BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBVU1NGIFJlbGlnaW9uU1NGBHBrZwM3NWQ0ZWIwNi05NDc2LTMxNWEtODU5My1hMjc1YzA5OWZmZjMEcG9zAzgEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDZWJkYWM0NjAtNmRmYS0xMWUxLWE4ZmYtMDdmNjc0Njc5M2Jm;_ylg=X3oDMTFrM25vcXFyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnMEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

I don’t understand, and hope others here have better understanding, but is this campaign being conducted by Americans or by British citizens? Is it simply following an American model and getting overseas advice?

 

[Kaninchen]

It wouldn’t be the first time if it were Americans but this one seems to be a British affiliate.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Yahoo! news needs to get their facts straight. It is not Americans conducting this in the UK, it is run by British people, they have just taken the 40 Days For Life model and taken it to the UK, 40 Days for Life goes on around the world.

Finally in the UK the abortion providers have something to be concerned about, and as can be seen by comments by BPAS officials they are concerned. Unlike America, there has been no major public debate about abortion in the UK and now maybe there will be. BPAS, much like Planned Parenthood are trying to promote false scare mongering stories about pro lifers.

Here is a radio debate between 40 Days For Life campaign director and BPAS executive:

news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9705000/9705877.stm

 

[Dale_M]

Yahoo! news needs to get their facts straight. It is not Americans conducting this in the UK, it is run by British people, they have just taken the 40 Days For Life model and taken it to the UK, 40 Days for Life goes on around the world.

I agree that the headline is misleading and the article unclear. However, this is not the fault of Yahoo News. The article was written by Meera Selva, who is based in London, and it was distributed by the Associated Press. Yahoo News was simply running an AP story.

But from what you and Kaninchen have written, it seems the campaign is American in style. This more confrontational approach seems to be causing a stir.

The link you posted mentions Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service and quotes her.

She said that this “tiny minority” of people protesting to a legal service are “adding enormously to the distress of women who are already in a difficult situation.”

“They should think really carefully about whether what they are doing is really Christian,” she said.

 

[Kaninchen]

The only debate available will be around the term limit, currently 24 weeks. By ‘available’, I mean, effectively available, the only one that will make any difference.

We’ve seen these quasi-American-style tactics before and they don’t ‘travel’ in a UK context.

 

[dans0622]

…
But from what you and Kaninchen have written, it seems the campaign is American in style. This more confrontational approach seems to be causing a stir. …

Hello,

If one considers sitting/standing/kneeling on public property near an abortion center, praying, and perhaps holding a (non-graphic) sign to be “confrontational” or “American,” ok. I don’t think so. The only confrontation I ever experienced when doing this was from passers-by (insults, taunts, threats, vulgarities, etc.). So, the claim that vigil participants were filming such things is plausible. However, when I participated in Ottawa, Canada, we were all told to not film anything since it would almost certainly lead to a complaint such as what we see in this story. The participants shouldn’t film anything.

Causing a stir, yes. That is a fair assessment.

Thanks for your time.

Dan

P.S. Regarding the headline. A “U.S. religious group” “targeting” a “clinic.” Nice.

 

[Santi2]

I don’t understand, and hope others here have better understanding, but is this campaign being conducted by Americans or by British citizens? Is it simply following an American model and getting overseas advice?

I am a member of 40 Days for Life London and can confirm that: it is British-led; we do not condone nor have we exercised violent or intrusive tactics employed by some pro-life groups in America.

40daysforlifelondon.blogspot.com/
carolinefarrow.com/2012/03/14/pro-choice-in-a-pickle/#comments

 

[Dale_M]

If one considers sitting/standing/kneeling on public property near an abortion center, praying, and perhaps holding a (non-graphic) sign to be “confrontational” or “American,” ok.

But the action goes beyond the prayer vigil, at least in the UK. It involves approaching the women, offering them a pro-life leaflet and trying to quietly dissuade them. In the interview which _Abyssinia linked to, this tactic was defended despite the mild disbelief of the radio host.

How “American” this approach is seen by the British, I don’t know. Perhaps some of our other UK residents can share their viewpoints as well.

P.S. Regarding the headline. A “U.S. religious group” “targeting” a “clinic.” Nice.

Yes, there is no value judgment in that headline.

I’m not sure who is responsible for it. Reporters often don’t choose the titles given to the article and the AP often gives news outlets a choice: a primary title or a substitute title. I noticed that several US newspapers have run the article with the questionable headline, though.

 

[Dale_M]

I am a member of 40 Days for Life London and can confirm that: it is British-led; we do not condone nor have we exercised violent or intrusive tactics employed by some pro-life groups in America.

Santi2, thank you very much for participating and offering your perspective.

 

[qui_est_ce]

I am a member of 40 Days for Life London and can confirm that: it is British-led; we do not condone nor have we exercised violent or intrusive tactics employed by some pro-life groups in America.

40daysforlifelondon.blogspot.com/
carolinefarrow.com/2012/03/14/pro-choice-in-a-pickle/#comments

 

[dans0622]

But the action goes beyond the prayer vigil, at least in the UK. It involves approaching the women, offering them a pro-life leaflet and trying to quietly dissuade them. In the interview which _Abyssinia linked to, this tactic was defended despite the mild disbelief of the radio host. …

Yes, that does happen at some sites, sometimes, if a participant has had some training in “sidewalk counseling.” I have little knowledge of the precise “tactics” used and I never witnessed it, as my participation has been limited to late-night and weekend hours. All I can say is that any interaction with a person entering a facility cannot be seen as blocking/inhibiting access.

Dan

 

[qui_est_ce]

Hello,

If one considers sitting/standing/kneeling on public property near an abortion center, praying, and perhaps holding a (non-graphic) sign to be “confrontational” or “American,”

What’s wrong with Americans anyway?

ok. I don’t think so. The only confrontation I ever experienced when doing this was from passers-by (insults, taunts, threats, vulgarities, etc.).

That has been my experience as well. Once, a women shouted “Get a life!” at me.

So, the claim that vigil participants were filming such things is plausible. However, when I participated in Ottawa, Canada, we were all told to not film anything since it would almost certainly lead to a complaint such as what we see in this story. The participants shouldn’t film anything.

We are told not to respond, but to keep a prayerful and quiet presence.

Looks to me like the British model is not the same as the American model. From the article, the British are more aggressive, but then, the article seems rather sketchy on facts.

Causing a stir, yes. That is a fair assessment.

Thanks for your time.

Dan

P.S. Regarding the headline. A “U.S. religious group” “targeting” a “clinic.” Nice.

 

[Dale_M]

Looks to me like the British model is not the same as the American model. From the article, the British are more aggressive, but then, the article seems rather sketchy on facts.

According to the second link provided by Santi2, the filming may have been done by EWTN who sent a camera crew to cover events and personalities involved. This seems to be confirmed in the radio interview which _Abyssinia provided. In the interview, the man who was defending 40 Days for Life said that the filming was not part of their activities but was done by a Christian television outfit.

 

[Santi2]

The only confrontation I ever experienced when doing this was from passers-by (insults, taunts, threats, vulgarities, etc.).

At the same time, there are individuals and groups who stop to enquire about our pro-life campaign., take a leaflet and give a thumbs up. At one of the prayer vigils I attended, a group of tourists stopped and briefly joined us after having been informed by their leader what the prayer vigil was for.

Juventutem London also reported on the well-attended pro-life stall at a fair in Lewisham last year.

The abortion lobby in the UK are casting their eyes across the pond because the pro-life movement is gaining ground through defunding of abortion clinics and healthcare workers’ exercise of conscientious objection, I expect that we shall see the same over here soon.

 

[qui_est_ce]

At the same time, there are individuals and groups who stop to enquire about our pro-life campaign., take a leaflet and give a thumbs up. At one of the prayer vigils I attended, a group of tourists stopped and briefly joined us after having been informed by their leader what the prayer vigil was for.

Juventutem London also reported on the well-attended pro-life stall at a fair in Lewisham last year.

The abortion lobby in the UK are casting their eyes across the pond because the pro-life movement is gaining ground through defunding of abortion clinics and healthcare workers’ exercise of conscientious objection, I expect that we shall see the same over here soon.

Your abortion rights are more restricted than ours. Here, one can have an abortion at any time for any reason up until birth. Even then, they baby may be killed during delivery.

 

[Santi2]

Santi2, thank you very much for participating and offering your perspective.

I am actually aware of only one event when our prayer vigil was filmed and that took place at the end of our 40-day vigil last year. I must admit, we were very aggressive that evening.

youtube.com/watch?v=xQZCztSDwus

 

[Santi2]

There’s a fair held at Finsbury Park annually and it would certainly be a good place for SPUC to set up a pro-life stall.