Doctor sends message to Humza Yousaf over Glasgow hospital protest

Dr Greg Irwin works at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and begged the First Minister to step in and push buffer zones to protect people getting abortions.

It comes as large groups of demonstrators gathered outside to “bully” those seeking treatment in a bid to stop them going through with it.

We previously reported how Dr Irwin, who is a paediatric radiologist, has confronted groups on several occasions after being left "disgusted" by their presence outside the hospital.

Quick message for FM @HumzaYousaf about the continuing anti-abortion protests outside QEUH in Glasgow

We need to fire on with @GillianMacMSP’s Safe Access Zones bill, so we don’t have a repeat of these scenes outside hospitals in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿@backoffscotland pic.twitter.com/nwBGQolcyM

— Dr Greg Irwin (@GJIrwin) April 2, 2023

Dr Irwin said: “I'm recording a quick message for Humza Yousaf.

“First of all congratulations on your new job.

“I very much hope you are going to push through Gillian Mackay’s buffer zone bill as soon as possible, because as you can see, we have got demonstrators and protesters outside my hospital.

“These people are here to bully women coming to the hospital seeking abortion healthcare.

“That is completely out of order. So, Mr Yousaf I know you have got a lot on your plate but the bill is already making its way through Parliament.

“I would very much appreciate your help in getting it into law as soon as possible so Scotland can catch up with the rest of the UK and bring in buffer zones to protect our sisters and our daughters.

“Thank you very much.”

Protesters gather outside the hospital (Image: Sourced)

Humza Yousaf told Radio Clyde News: “We will do everything we can to bring safe access zones as quickly as we possibly can, because the scenes over the weekend to me were unacceptable.

“We know that women going for abortions can be one of the most traumatic days of their life and to have to face protest I think is unacceptable.

“I will work very closely with Gillian Mackay and she will get the full support of the Government to take that work forward.”

Protesters were gathering as part of a 40-day anti-abortion protest outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

The 40 Days For Life campaign, based in Texas in the USA, started its operation outside the Glasgow hospital in February.

Groups stand on a road outside holding placards with anti-abortion messages.

The protesters remained there in rotation day and night until April 2 to “offer prayer and support” to women accessing terminations or related healthcare at the hospital.

Gillian Mackay, Green MSP and the party’s health spokesperson, said: “These protests are a disgraceful attempt to intimidate people out of accessing healthcare."

Dr Irwin previously told The Glasgow Times: “The protesters have been irritating me for years. I have gone out on my work breaks with a ‘your body your choice sign’ and stood beside them so people know they aren’t the only ones here.

“It’s fundamentally unfair these people are bullying women and it is so misogynist.

“Some of these women are having the worst day of their life. People having miscarriages, people trying to get pregnant but have got issues and can’t continue the pregnancy, and these people are bullying and harassing them.

"It is unjust.

“For me to drive past it makes me so disgusted, it is just so horrible.”