Court upholds abortions clinic protest ban but overturns ban on talking to visitors

A Dutch court has ruled that the mayor of Heemstede was justified in banning protests directly in front of the Bloemenhove abortion clinic, but that prohibiting demonstrators from speaking to people went too far, the court said.

The ruling follows complaints from the activist group Donum Domini (Latin for “Gift of the Lord”), which objected to restrictions imposed in 2023 and 2024 on demonstrations at the clinic. Protesters were allowed to demonstrate across the street but were barred from approaching or speaking to clinic visitors.

The municipality cited concerns about “disorderly behavior,” noting that previous demonstrations had escalated. The court agreed that this provided sufficient grounds for banning protests directly outside the clinic. However, the court found that the ban on engaging with visitors was “not necessary and disproportionate,” as demonstrations could continue across the street and clinic visitors could avoid the activists.

A similar situation is unfolding in Utrecht. In 2021, the city prohibited a demonstration by the group Jezus Leeft directly in front of the Vrelinghuis abortion clinic, limiting it to a location 70 meters away. The Council of State ruled in August that the municipality could not enforce this restriction.

Since the ruling on September 11, Jezus Leeft has resumed protests at the clinic, according to the Utrecht branch of the PvdA.

Demonstrations continue near the designated site, and local political parties including the PvdA, BIJ1, and Volt have raised concerns and submitted questions to the city council regarding the ongoing protests.