ABORTION PROTESTING.

Protest has long been considered protected speech under the First Amendment. The restrictions on the right to protest are limited by the courts and legislators who are reluctant to circumscribe this fundamental right. The question of whether or not a woman has the right to an abortion is one of the most highly debated issues in the United States. The explosive nature of these protests has led to legislation aimed at preventing disruptive situations. This has raised First Amendment concerns. Actual threats to doctors and to women seeking abortions have prompted courts to act to protect the safety of those providing and seeking reproductive services, yet they strive to balance these rights with those of the protestors. Legislation to regulate individual and group expression near abortion facilities has been enacted on the federal, state, and local levels. These regulations relating to protesting near abortion clinics, are subject to traditional First Amendment analysis. As a result of the constitutional scrutiny of this legislation the courts have defined what is and is not protected by the First Amendment.