We're at Ealing Council for their decision on bringing in a buffer zone outside the Marie Stopes clinic on Mattock Lane. We support a PSPO to stop the harassment of women. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Click here if you'd like to watch it live! Courtesy of the wonderful @SisterSupporter.
facebook.com/SisterSupporte… #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
facebook.com/SisterSupporte… #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr Ranjit Dheer looks back to the meeting in October where this was first dicussed. Says it has become necessary to balance rights of protesters with rights of women accessing healthcare. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Says they must now look at the law closely, and listen closely to the results of the consultation. What do local residents want? #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Council had 2181 responses to their consultation, plus several other responses from interested organisations and parties #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Mark Wiltshire, Director of Safer Communities and Housing, says 81% of respondents had seen the behaviours concerned. 85-90% were supportive of the proposed PSPO. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Anna Veglio-White from @SisterSupporter now says that they represent not only the vast majority of local residents but also several local churches #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
She says this PSPO would not silence anyone's voice or prevent the GCN from offering help. But they must do it elsewhere. Standing outside the clinic is not appropriate #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr Dheer says this is not a debate about abortion. It's about balancing the right to free speech with the rights of women to access healthcare. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
One man heckling in the audience clearly disagrees... #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
It's now time for cabinet to deliberate. 3 things to bear in mind- they must be satisfied that the activities in the evidence are detrimental to locals' quality of life; it's continuing//persistent; and it's reasonable to impose the proposed solution. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr @BindaRai1 says this was the biggest single response to a consultation in Ealing ever. Local residents are not willing to tolerate it any more. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Of those who responded to oppose the PSPO, only 6.6% actually had an Ealing postcode. In contrast, those who supported it were overwhelmingly local residents. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr @BindaRai1 says PSPO is both necessary and proportionate to protect vulnerable pregnant women in the area. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
However, this PSPO cannot be the end of the road. @BindaRai1 says Home Office must implement national solution "to stop women being emotionally hijacked". #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Another councillor says he is a practising Christian and it is *because* of his faith, not in spite of it, that he supports the PSPO. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
He says as a practising Christian he finds it abhorrent that people sit outside the clinic harassing, intimidating and judging people, when Christ himself taught us not to judge. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Attempts to negotiate an agreement have all failed. Council's reasonable requests have been ignored. PSPO remains the only option now. It's an appropiate measure to stop the detrimental impact on local residents. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr Mason says this is about the balance of rights, and he will be supporting #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr Tailor now. He says the location of the groups in and of itself is a problem, according to the evidence gathered. Access to clinic must be unimpeded. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Council has looked at Equalities Impact Assessment. There are some Christian groups that DO support PSPO, so not all religious groups will be negatively impacted. He agrees with PSPO. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr Anand - attempts to resolve this amicably have not been successful. Evidence says protesters are targetting service users at the *precise moment* they are accessing healthcare. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Cllr Dheer finsihes with quotes from clients. He reads this one from a patient at the clinic, who submitted evidence to the consultation. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory 
He finishes with a quotation from a local resident who has to avoid the area when she walks her 6-yr-old daughter to school, because she finds the pictures upsetting. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
Clr @juliangbell says this consultation has shown what the "voice of Ealing" is. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
AND THEY'VE DONE IT! #EalingMakesHistory by agreeing to implement PSPO. Well done @EalingCouncil, @SisterSupporter and all involved for protecting women in Ealing. #BackOff👏👏👏👏
Here's the moment the council agreed. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory
