A FRINGE political party has been branded “disgraceful” after bombarding abortion rights activists with an “appalling” meme comparing abortion to the Holocaust.
The Scottish Family Party have repeatedly posted a picture of Nicola Sturgeon at the notorious extermination camp Auschwitz with a thought bubble reading: “There should have been a Buffer Zone around this place.”
Auschwitz-Birkenau, known for the infamous sign reading "Arbeit Macht Frei [work sets you free]" over the entrance, was the site of the murder of some 1.1 million people, making it the deadliest killing camp used by the Nazis.
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The party has posted the picture 21 times – once in a thread outlining why the party believes abortion is similar to the Final Solution – and another 20 to politicians and commentators posting about access to pregnancy termination on Monday.
It comes at a time of heightened anxiety for women seeking abortions in Scotland following a rise in small but vocal groups of protesters who demonstrate outside places offering terminations or advice on family planning.
Calls are growing for local authorities to introduce “buffer zones” around places targeted by anti-choice activists, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urging councils to use the powers they have to block protests outside hospitals and sexual health clinics.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens are pushing forward plans to ban protests outside hospitals across the country with Central Scotland MSP Gillian Mackay bringing forward a bill she hopes will outlaw the practice completely.
She has said taking measures locally in the interim was weclome but warned it was not a permanent solution because it risked creating a "postcode lottery"
Anti-choice activists defend their protests citing their rights to freedom of assembly and expression, while some who are religiously motivated say they are simply praying which makes it difficult for the Government to ban the protests.
Mackay called the Scottish Family Party’s posts “crass, insensitive and shameful”.
She said: “The Scottish Family Party are a disgraceful and extreme party that has been rejected time and again by the people of Scotland. Even by their standards this is appalling.
“If they have any decency they will remove it now and reconsider the messages they send and the content they share."
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Carol Mochan, Labour MSP for South Scotland, was sent one of the images on Twitter.
She branded it "deeply offensive and stupid", adding: "You should be ashamed."
An SNP spokesperson said: "This comparison is disgusting, harmful and deeply offensive.
"Access to abortion is a human right, and women should be able to do so free of harassment and intimidation."
The party was founded in 2017 and has never succeeded in having a candidate elected, receiving just 2734 constituency votes and 16,085 regional list votes at last year's election.
It stands for conservative and traditional values, and is opposed to “vulgar and corrupting” sex education in schools, all hate speech legislation and “transgender ideology”.
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