Glasgow activists blast Lizzo music over hospital abortion protest

Counter protesters played pop hit Juice to drown out people praying at the Queen Elizabeth University hospital yesterday.

The group had gathered with signs to protest people considering abortions before they were challenged by Cabaret Against The Hate Speech.

The LGBTQ+ group works to organises counter protests against “all forms of hate speech across Scotland with live music, song and dance”.

Gemma Clark showed up to support the cause to try and help people attend their appointments without intimidation.

Protesters gathered outside the hospital (Image: Sourced)

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The 40-year-old, from Paisley, spoke to the Glasgow Times about why they felt it was necessary.

She said: “The group say prayers loudly to people going into the hospital to try and put them off.

“I know people who are anxious to make their appointments because they know groups will show up outside the clinic, it is awful.

“Cabaret Against The Hate Speech played loud music over them because we felt they were being abusive.

“It is disgusting to target the clinic, people go for all sorts of reasons and these people shouldn’t think they can take it away from people.

“It just shows how important buffer zones are, people should be allowed to protest but not right outside a hospital.”

Cabaret Against The Hate Speech challenged the protesters (Image: Sourced)

We previously reported how the 40-day anti-abortion protest outside a Glasgow hospital, which started last week, has been branded ‘disgraceful’ by an MSP.

The 40 Days For Life campaign, based in Texas in the USA, has started its operation outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

A small group was on a road outside holding placards with anti-abortion messages.

@gemma_clark1 #QEUH #glasgow #glasgownews #scotland #scottishnews #cabaretagainsthate #prochoice #antiabortionprotestors #backoffscotland #religiousextremists #vigilantes #clinicharassers #misogyny #womensrights #lgbtrights #namethattune ♬ original sound - Gemma Clark

The protesters say they will be there on a rotation basis day and night until April 2 this year to “offer prayer and support” to women accessing terminations or related healthcare at the hospital.

Their continuing presence has been criticised by the MSP who is seeking a law to have ‘buffer zones’ to move protesters away from hospitals and clinics.

Gillian Mackay, Green MSP and the party’s health spokesperson, said: “These protests are a disgraceful attempt to intimidate people out of accessing healthcare. "Some of the protesters carry very graphic banners and other protests have seen loudspeakers and megaphones.

“It will be a 40-day gauntlet of harassment. It is utterly unacceptable and has no place in a modern and progressive Scotland.

“How can we talk about rights and equality when people are being intimidated like this?”