Nicola Sturgeon backs legislation on abortion clinic buffer zones to limit protesters

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Nicola Sturgeon has admitted her government could be forced to pass new laws to halt protests outside abortion clinics in Scotland.

The First Minister said it was "completely unacceptable" that patients faced harassment when visiting NHS facilities. Campaigners want buffer zones established outside clinics that would limit anti-abortion protests to a designated distance away from entrances.

But the SNP leader admitted today such legislation would face "legal complexities". It comes as anti-abortion protesters again targeted the Sandyford clinic in Glasgow's west end.

Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Sturgeon said: "There are legal complexities and it doesn’t help anybody for me to pretend there aren’t – these are complexities that local authorities and indeed national government want to work through."My preference is we would be able to legislate nationally in order that there is a consistency of approach in this."We know though there is forthcoming Supreme Court case sparked by legislation in Northern Ireland which will undoubtedly have an impact on the legal framework here."But I am very clear on what I want to do, and in the meantime I do want to work with local authorities to see what more can be done to protect women accessing sexual health services including abortion services.”Sturgeon told MSPs: "I find what is happening outside hospitals and outside the Sandyford completely and utterly unacceptable, and let me make that clear."The summit I have committed to convening will happen this month.