There is concern that the recent increase in demonstrations outside abortion clinics in England and Wales may have a detrimental impact on clinic-users’ access to abortion services. Parliament could respond to this concern by passing legislation that implements fixed buffer zones around all clinics providing abortion services in England and Wales. This would make it an offence to engage in prohibited behaviour (as defined by the legislation) within a specified area around abortion clinics. Such legislation may be challenged, however, on the basis that it interferes with the rights afforded to demonstrators by Articles 9, 10, and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This article examines the proportionality of fixed buffer zone legislation, which has not yet been considered by the European Court of Human Rights nor the UK Supreme Court. Two relationships are considered: first, the relationship between the aims of the measures and the means to achieve those aims; second, the relationship between the competing interests of demonstrators opposing abortion and clinic-users seeking an abortion. This article shows that fixed buffer zone legislation can be proportionate. Consequently, the ECHR is no impediment to the enactment of fixed buffer zone legislation in England and Wales.

中文翻译：

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固定缓冲区立法：对英格兰和威尔士堕胎诊所外示威的适当回应？

有人担心，最近英格兰和威尔士堕胎诊所外示威活动的增加可能会对诊所使用者获得堕胎服务产生不利影响。议会可以通过在英格兰和威尔士所有提供堕胎服务的诊所周围实施固定缓冲区的立法来回应这一担忧。这将使在堕胎诊所周围的特定区域内从事被禁止的行为（由立法定义）构成犯罪。然而，此类立法可能会受到质疑，因为它干扰了《欧洲人权公约》（ECHR）第 9、10 和 11 条赋予示威者的权利。本文考察了固定缓冲区立法的相称性，欧洲人权法院和英国最高法院尚未考虑。考虑了两种关系：第一，措施的目标与实现这些目标的手段之间的关系；其次，反对堕胎的示威者与寻求堕胎的诊所使用者之间的竞争利益之间的关系。这篇文章表明，固定缓冲区的立法可以是相称的。因此，《欧洲人权公约》不会阻碍英格兰和威尔士制定固定缓冲区立法。这篇文章表明，固定缓冲区的立法可以是相称的。因此，《欧洲人权公约》不会阻碍英格兰和威尔士制定固定缓冲区立法。这篇文章表明，固定缓冲区的立法可以是相称的。因此，《欧洲人权公约》不会阻碍英格兰和威尔士制定固定缓冲区立法。