U.S. Supreme Court revisits protester buffer zones surrounding abortion clinics

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide by June to what lengths the government can go to protect abortion clinic workers and patients from protesters.

Major cities such as Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco have limited protesters to certain areas outside their clinics, while other communities, like Mountain View, Calif., have to police themselves and restrict protesters to outside their private property.

The Supreme Court has dealt with the issue before, including in a Massachusetts case calling for a 35-foot buffer zone around clinics.

An anti-abortion protester, Rita Donnelly, who has protested at area clinics for decades, told the Contra Costa Times that she just wants to get close enough to have a conversation with people.

But pro-abortion advocates and Planned Parenthood representatives deem a buffer zone necessary to protect patients from the violence and confrontation protesters have subjected them to in the past, and believe the new law would not be in violation of the First Amendment.

"We're concerned about the ability of patients to enter (our clinics) without harassment or intimidation," said Lupe Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. "We do have a constant presence of protesters, some more aggressive than others."

California has dealt with many cases over the years, including a major ruling from the state Supreme Court permitting injunctions against protesters because of safety and privacy concerns.

Beth Parker, statewide legal counsel for Planned Parenthood, worries that if the Supreme Court retracts the Massachusetts buffer zones, it may make it harder to maintain boundaries between protesters and patients.

"I think it could reinvigorate the protesters," Parker said "And you might see more litigation."

The Massachusetts 35-foot buffer zone is more restrictive than most laws and it's possible the Supreme Court could scale back its decision, which could impede with many local regulations.

David Zarri, a frequent protester outside the downtown Concord Planned Parenthood clinic argues that buffer zones infringe on his First Amendment right to free speech, assembly and religious expression.

"Where do you draw the line?" Zarri said. "Some say 35 feet. Some say 100. What's to keep them from saying 1,000 feet?"

The following are a few examples of the abortion protest regulations being challenged in a U.S. Supreme Court case.

San Jose -- 8-foot no-protester "bubble" around anyone within a 100-foot buffer zone

San Francisco -- 25-foot buffer around clinic entrances, exits, driveways

Pittsburgh, Pa. -- 15-foot buffer at the entrance to any reproductive health care facility where abortions take place

Massachusetts -- 35-foot buffer zone between clinic and protesters

Colorado -- 8-foot no-protester "bubble" around anyone within 100 feet of a clinic

Portland, Maine -- 39-foot buffer around clinics