By Tom Hegarty
Green Party leader, Clare Bailey’s bill to criminalise pro-life people who hold vigils outside abortion centres, was passed by 55 to 29 votes.
The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill makes it a criminal offense for pro-lifers to engage in “influencing” women inside “safe access zones” around premises offering abortions.
In what can only be described as shocking and disturbing, a video has been shared of Bailey leaving the Stormont Chamber after the vote was passed, to meet her supporters in the Stormont reception area. Here, she and her Green Party supporters cheered and danced with uncontrollable delight at the Green Party’s successful push to criminalise their political and ideological opponents, stopping them from holding peaceful vigils and protests outside abortion centres.
The scene in Stormont last night was reminiscent of the horrific “celebrations” in Dublin Castle in May 2018 when the right to life was removed in Ireland after an extensive propaganda campaign.
According to Precious Life, Bailey has admitted the aim of her bill was to CRIMINALISE ANYONE who talks to a woman going into an abortion centre - offers her help or support - or simply holds a pro-life sign - or even stands silently praying. Any woman or man in Northern Ireland doing any of these innocent acts now faces fines up to £2500.
During the war in Northern Ireland, the British government sought to make peaceful protest by nationalists illegal too. This unjust law was wrong then and it’s wrong today. Now we have the horrendous position where nationalists, loyalist and pro-EU politicians in the North have imposed the very same ban on peaceful protests, criminalising prolife people of all faiths and none.
Derry City. Heavily armed RUC tell mostly Sinn Fein peaceful protesters to disperse as their protest is illegal under British law. Circa 1982
DUP Alderman John Finlay expressed “disgust” that not only did the UUP refuse to support a petition of concern - but that the party actively voted for the bill reports the Newsletter.
“Once again, the Ulster Unionist Party has totally failed the most vulnerable members of our society,” he said. “They had it in their power in the Assembly today to ensure the failure of Clare Bailey’s Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill... but they chose not to. Instead, they voted for the Bill.”