Thread by @pickle_bee

A thread on the discussion of body autonomy at #fmqs In the Scottish Parliament today and while there is progress it isn't all good news. Firstly I wanna thank @MonicaLennon7 & @GillianMacMSP for their fantastic questions subject highlighting buffer zones as well as staff safety.

While it is great that Nicola Sturgeon has committed to chairing an emergency summit on abortion healthcare looking at issues both here & in America she still refuses to fully commit to buffer zones and insteads passes the buck on to Scottish Councils to deal with themselves.

Monica continues and asks if she agrees that people who are facing harassment or intimidation in accessing abortion related healthcare if they come with any complaints to the police they will they be properly investigated?

Nicola Sturgeon says that there are powers for the police under anti social behaviour legislation.

The problem is the Police aren't using these powers at all as they let religious bigots harass and intimidate many women at Sandyford yesterday.

https://twitter.com/pickle_bee/status/1524386190434222081?t=IN7J-oYXSXpwGjc_Gnn3xw&s=19

John Mason asks if there is going to be a summit on abortion related healthcare that it also considers reviewing the 24 week limit, he then lies and says he asks this because some "children" (fetuses) are surviving at 23 weeks (bullshit).

Nicola Sturgeon looks furious but it probably didn't help that John Mason attends protests like the ones we saw at Sandyford yesterday. Nicola Sturgeon hasn't taken any action against him so it's no surprise he feels confident enough to call for abortion rights to be restricted.

Nicola Sturgeon says she doesn't support that and any women should be able to access the right to an abortion in a safe and timely manner.

Gillian Mackay asks also about the protest at Sandyford yesterday and how they could no longer provide care at one side of the building. Gillian goes on to ask if clinical and patient representatives and trade unions will be invited to the summit so health staff feel safe at work

Nicola Sturgeon says that she will consider that and says that Sandyford offers a variety of care and that everyone should feel safe in accessing that.

Today is a really mixed bag for body autonomy in Scotland. While it's great to hear that the First Minister commit to chairing an emergency summit, the Scottish Government is still not committed to buffer zones, passes that responsibility to councils and...

We have John Mason an MSP openly try to push misinformation and twist an emergency summit on abortion healthcare to be about restricting abortion rather than protecting it.

This is why we should all be backing @backoffscotland. Supporting their work is need now more than ever.