UK Borough council admits there's 'not enough evidence' to ban pro-life vigils outside abortion clinics

A London council has admitted that it does not have enough evidence of harassment outside abortion clinics to justify a ban on pro-life prayer vigils.

According to Catholic Herald, Southwark Borough Council voted unanimously last November to create a "buffer zone" around the Blackfriars Medical Practice in Colombo Street, which has an abortion facility run by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS).

Members of the pro-life group Abort67 have held regular vigils outside the clinic since it opened in 2014.

On Tuesday, Councillor Barrie Hargrove, the cabinet member for communities, safety and leisure, delivered an update explaining that there was not enough evidence to justify banning vigils outside the clinic.

"At the moment we don't have the extent of evidence ... to bring in a Public Space Protection Order," he said, noting that the most recent report of a pro-life vigil outside the facility was from January 2017.

"Something really does need to be done about it," he said, claiming that he has seen videos of "unpleasant and unacceptable harassment of vulnerable people" outside the clinic.

Council leader Peter John suggested that community wardens could be assigned to monitor protests outside the clinic to help the council assess the situation.

Cabinet member Fiona Colley said that patients should be encouraged to fill in a form that would document their experiences of any protests they encounter when entering the abortion facility.

Liberal Democrat Councillor David Noakes, who tabled the original motion in November, expressed support for the decision to gather more evidence about harassment outside the clinic.

"I welcome the cabinet's support about the protests outside the BPAS clinic and appreciate the need for an evidence base for consideration of a PSPO," Noakes said.

"I will be writing to Cllr Hargrove suggesting a working group to ensure the strong support of residents and Blackfriars Medical Practice staff and patients for action on this issue is followed up by the council," he went on to say.

The Southwark Borough Council was the third U.K. civic authority to propose a ban on pro-life vigils outside abortion clinics.

Since October, the London boroughs of Ealing, Lambeth and Richmond, as well as cities of Portsmouth and Manchester, have introduced motions that called for a ban on the vigils or the creation buffer zones outside the clinics.

In November, the Home Office launched a review that sought the views of police forces, healthcare providers and local authorities regarding pro-life protests outside abortion clinics.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd recently announced that the consultation has now been expanded to include protesters or people taking part in the vigils, as well as those who have "sought medical opinion or advice" from the clinics.

Participants in the consultation will be required to answer a questionnaire posted on the Home Office's website and the deadline for submitting the form is on Feb. 19.