Offences relating to safe access zones
Section 6: Exceptions to offences
22.This section creates exceptions to the offences in sections 4(1) and 5(1). The exceptions relate to anything done by a person who is:
accompanying another person who is accessing (or attempting to access) abortion services at protected premises, but only where the person is accompanying the other person with the other person’s permission and only to the extent that the person’s act affects the other person (if the person acts in a way that affects another person whom they are not accompanying, then that may be an offence),
anything done in the course of providing, or facilitating the provision of, abortion services (meaning treatment for the termination of pregnancy that is authorised under the 1967 Act) or other health care at protected premises (for example, the provision of counselling services),
engaging in peaceful picketing (relating to workplace industrial action) that is lawful under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Section 220 of that Act makes it clear that peaceful picketing is lawful only in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute and if done for the purpose only of peacefully obtaining or communicating information, or peacefully persuading any person to work or abstain from working.
