An anti-abortion lecture for medical students at Dundee University should not have been allowed to go ahead, say campaigners.
Mr Mahesh Perera, a consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician with Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS, gave a lecture on Tuesday on ‘how to be a pro-life obstetrician in the NHS today’, and was met with a blood-splattered protest outside the Dalhousie Building where the lecture took place.
Dundee Abortion Rights protesters say the talk for medics should not have taken place.
Protester Marlyn Glen said: “We welcome the free and frank exchange of ideas on our campuses and would never seek to stop a peaceful speaker challenging ideas, but when a talk is targeted at medics and is about refusing women their rights, that goes too far.
“It was all civil. We handed out leaflets, and 10 of our members went into the talk and used the question period to put their queries to the speaker.
“There was no trouble.”
A description of the event written by Dundee University Life Society reads: “Many medical students and junior doctors have considered a career in obstetrics and gynaecology but are dissuaded from pursuing it because of certain practices associated with the job.
“There is a perceived pressure on doctors to accept the provision of abortion is part and parcel of the work of an obstetrician.
“However, many people from different religious and cultural backgrounds have a conscientious objection to abortion.
“Is there room in the NHS for obstetricians who believe in the principle of caring for both woman and baby?”
A spokeswoman for Dundee Abortion Rights said: “Pro-life means anti-abortion.
“Women in the UK have the legal right to an abortion and anti-abortion obstetricians put that right at risk.
“Abortion should be a woman’s personal decision and medical personnel should support that decision.”
A Dundee University spokesman said: “This event was not organised by the university.
“A group with differing opinions to the organisers held a peaceful protest, which they are obviously entitled to do and we always encourage students to engage in freedom of thought and examine issues which are prevalent in our society.”
A Dundee University Students’ Union spokesperson said: “DUSA has around 150 affiliated societies covering a whole host of topics and various areas of interest.
“DUSA would only intervene in an event hosted by a society or other group if it was illegal or breached either DUSA or the University of Dundee’s rules and regulations, which this talk did not.
“DUSA is committed to creating an atmosphere of debate on campus, both in the events held by our societies and any protests they choose to take part in.”