CAMPAIGNERS for an exclusion zone outside an Albury abortion clinic want people to boycott the businesses and services of known pro-life protesters or supporters.
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The call, posted on the Right to Privacy Albury Facebook page this week, “names and shames” two doctors and their wives for their apparent involvement in weekly protests outside the Englehardt Street clinic, or for their anti-abortion views.
They are ear, nose and throat surgeon Roland von Marburg and his wife, Anna, and Albury GP Paul Evans and his wife, Peta.
The post also encourages people not to vote for Albury councillor Darren Cameron, who has been vocal in his support for the right to protest.
Neither the man spearheading the exclusion zone campaign, Pieter Mourik, nor committee member Lizzie Marmo yesterday knew which member of their group had posted the message — but both were fully supportive of its contents.
“They (the protesters) turn people off going to other Englehardt Street businesses every week because of their presence,” Ms Marmo said. “Why shouldn’t we do the same?”
Ms Marmo said several people had posted on the Right to Privacy Albury Facebook page.
The group last month handed a petition with 5500 signatures supporting an exclusion zone to the council.
EDITORIAL: Boycott call a bridge too far
Mrs von Marburg, who owns Veritas Central Catholic bookshop in Smollett Street, said she would take it in her stride.
“If this is the price we have to pay for offering assistance to women and babies then so be it,” she said.
“I’ve never hidden my name, I’m not ashamed of what I do.
“We just want to help people and I’d like to not be harassed while we’re doing that.”
Mr von Marburg said the group was “playing the man, not the ball” and the boycott was “un-Australian”.
“I understand that if you throw your hat in the ring you make yourself a target, but I think this is a bridge too far,” he said.
“Where does it stop? If people found out which way I voted and didn’t like it, would that be justification for blackballing my business?”
Dr Mourik said he was “proud to say I’m not involved in this one”.
He said he did support the call.
“You live by the sword and you die by the sword,” he said.
“Everyone talks about it. People have said for years we should stand outside the bookshop and protest about sexual abuse by the priests and the like, but this is the first time something’s happened about it.”
Ms Marmo said boycotting the services, or other “silent” protests, allowed people to express their opinions without forcing those views on others.
“Which is what they (the protesters) do every week to women who try to walk into the clinic,” she said.
“You can have your beliefs but don’t try to bring them into the medical arena — no one has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body.”
Cr Cameron said it was “a nasty tactic” to go after people’s livelihoods.
“Attack me, I’m a public figure, I’m fair game,” he said.
“But leave private people alone.
“And frankly, I don’t want people from this Facebook petri dish voting for me anyway.”