Clinic asking for harsher consequences for anti-abortion protesters

The Kensington Clinic is calling for greater consequences after it claims protestors have failed to follow a private court injunction.

Executive director Celia Posyniak said she’s sent copies of the rules, contacted churches and even called the police, but anti-abortion protestors who break the rules often get little more than a slap on the wrist.

It’s mainly religious protestors that crowd the sidewalk right outside their clinic and Posyniak explained things often escalate beyond demonstrations.

“They come across the street, they’ll take photographs, they’ve been known to approach people and it’s a frightening thing for women to see when they’re coming into the clinic,” she said.

A private injunction, implemented in 2003, states there cannot be more than four protestors at a time, and they must be across the street.

She said on Wednesday there were about 15 protestors outside the clinic’s doors.

“The police come out if we call them but there are no consequences, they just tell them what they’re doing wrong and as soon as the police leave usually the behaviour starts all over again,” she explained.

Posyniak is calling on the government to implement more consequences.

“All doctors and clinics and clinic workers in the province protected from this kind of harassment and bullying and that there be consequences if people persist in doing it,” she said.

Health Minister Sarah Hoffman said she will look into the issue.

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