This isn’t harassing.. they’re trying to help
Mason defends vigils at abortion clinics
A NATIONALIST MP has been criticised for claiming abortion clinics push the procedure “without laying out the pros and cons”.
It came after gaffe-prone John Mason was slammed for defending recent anti-abortion vigils at Glasgow hospitals.
In an email to campaign group Back Off Scotland, which seeks to implement buffer zones around abortion providers to push vigils away from patients, Mason said he had attended one and he believed abortion was “seldom essential or vital”.
At some of the vigils, activists can be seen holding signs saying, “women do regret abortion”, among other slogans.
On Twitter, Glasgow Shettleston MSP Mason said: “Surely these signs are very gentle and offering help? I do not see anything hateful or harassing about these signs.” When asked if he believed the women seeking an abortion should be asked how they feel, he added: “Yes absolutely. That is the key. But the concern is that the clinics are not always asking the women how they feel.
“Some clinics seem to be pushing abortion without laying out the pros and cons.”
The issue has come to the fore recently, resulting in Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay seeking to legislate for buffer zones, as well as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and women’s health minister Maree Todd being urged to act.
The First Minister has repeatedly condemned the vigils, urging protesters instead to come to parliament to voice their opposition and has set up a working group to assess the legal viability of buffer zones.
Back Off Scotland director Lucy Grieve said: “John Mason’s false claims are incredibly dangerous and ignorant.
“This is the same elected official that admitted attending anti-choice protests at Scottish hospitals. He clearly has no idea what goes on during an abortion and his comments are offensive to abortion providers and their patients.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “This is an insult to all the women who’ve had to make this difficult decision and all the hardworking NHS staff who’ve supported them through it.
“Women have a right to access abortion and they should be able to do so without harassment and intimidation.”