An advocate for Arizona women’s health providers said she’s disappointed the United States Supreme Court has struck down a Massachusetts abortion law. Thursday’s ruling means Massachusetts can no longer prohibit protests from being staged close to abortion clinics.
Arizona currently has no laws that prohibit abortion opponents from demonstrating within a few feet away from women’s health clinics. Stephanie Toti, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, wrote a brief urging the high court to uphold the Massachusetts law. She said the Supreme Court’s ruling on Massachusetts’ buffer zones sends a message to every state.
“It’s important for jurisdictions around the country to ensure that women are able to safely enter reproductive health care clinics in that the activity outside those clinics doesn’t scare people away who want to access constitutionally protected health care,” Toti said.
Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups called the Supreme Court ruling a victory. They said the buffer zone law in Massachusetts violated the First Amendment protecting free speech.