US: Congressional Hearing Exposes Reality of Infanticide

House Republicans held a hearing entitled "End Infanticide"and heard from expert witnesses about the need for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act. The hearing, sponsored by Minority Whip Steve Scalise, bill sponsor Rep Ann Wagner and the Pro-Life Caucus,was held as a minority hearing in the White House Visitor Center after refusals by Speaker Pelosi to approve an official committee room. Focusing on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (BAASPA), H.R. 962, the hearing focused on the "continued relevance to the debate regarding the protection of human life in the United States amid the Democrat Majority's refusal to allow its consideration."

 

Dr. Kathi Aultman, a retired OB/GYN and former abortionist told the hearing that "there have been many cases and multiple witnesses who have come forward and admitted that they saw babies either actively or passively killed after they survived an abortion." Aultman explained how the BAASPA protects healthcare providers as well by not putting them in a situation where they have to helplessly watch a child die.

 

Dr. Robin Pierucci, a neonatologist and scholar with the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI), told the hearing about the standard of care given to all newborns called the American Academy of Pediatricians' Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) which would also apply to abortion survivors under the Born Alive Act. She noted it has been used to save babies born as early as 21 weeks and 4 days. "Neither I nor the NICU team can always 'fix' or heal the newborn little ones who come to us, but there is no such thing as a human being who is literally worth less than another," said Pierucci said. "Even if there is a decision to not resuscitate due to severe prematurity or congenital abnormality, this is never equivalent to do not care or an excuse to abandon either the baby or the mother. Care is the minimum I owe to both of them."

 

In his remarks, House Pro-life Caucus co-chair Rep Chris Smith said the U.S. House "needs to vote now and approve this humane, pro-child, human rights legislation." He noted how few states report on children who survive abortion, "Shockingly only six states - Florida, Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Texas - currently require the reporting of children born alive who survive abortion. Why the cover-up?" As a response, Smith quoted Dr. Willard Cates, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Abortion Surveillance Unit, that such live births "are little known because organized medicine, from fear of public clamor and legal action, treats them more as an embarrassment to be hushed up than a problem to be solved. The tendency is not to report because there are only negative incentives."

 

Jill Stanek, now a pro-life activist with SBA List following her nursing experience caring for infants who survived abortion, described one survivor she cared for: "One night, a nursing co-worker was transporting a baby who had been aborted because he had Down syndrome to our Soiled Utility Room to die - because that's where survivors were taken. I could not bear the thought of this suffering child dying alone, so I rocked him for the 45 minutes that he lived. He was 21 to 22 weeks old, weighed about 1/2 pound, and was about the size of my hand. He was too weak to move very much, expending all his energy attempting to breathe. Toward the end he was so quiet I couldn't tell if he was still alive unless I held him up to the light to see if his heart was still beating through his chest wall."

 

"From what I observed, it was not uncommon for a live aborted baby to linger for an hour or two or even longer. One abortion survivor I was aware of lived for almost eight hours. Of 16 babies Christ Hospital aborted during the year 2000, four that I knew of were aborted alive. Each of those babies - two boys and two girls - lived between 1 1/2 and three hours. One baby was 28 weeks' gestation - seven months old - and weighed two pounds, seven ounces."

 

She concluded her testimony with a plea for passage of the Born Alive Act, "Clearly, little abortion survivors desperately need Congress to pass the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, to provide them with legal medical protections and not leave open the decision whether they live or die."

 

Experts noted the media's lack of coverage of infanticide has contributed to the false belief that it does not happen, a myth abortion supporters cling to. Reactions to the hearing on social media reflected this, with NARAL tweeting, "The anti-choice movement's inflammatory, imaginary scenarios about abortion later in pregnancy are incredibly dangerous for providers and outright insulting to families who have had their lives upended by complex medical circumstances."

 

Comments to the live stream of the hearing included the following uninformed comments:

• Absurd! Wasting time trying to stir up the crazies who believe this actually happens.
• Ohmygod this is not a thing.
• This doesn't actually happen. You're testifying about a GOP myth and scare tactic.
• Infanticide is already illegal in every state. This is just grandstanding and divisiveness brought to you by the unhinged Republican Party - who should now be known as the Nazi Republican Party
• Stop lying. If a 8 month old baby is born a nurse/doctor will do everything they can.

 

According to Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, "Tuesday's events brought attention to the fact that the Democrat majority in the House is refusing to vote on a bill that has the support of some 77% of Americans, including 70% of those who identify as Democrats. Republican members have risen on the House floor more than 80 times to ask for a vote on the bill. A discharge petition that also could lead to a vote needs 17 more Democrats to sign on but none appear courageous enough to step forward."
 

A discharge petition that would force the bill to the floor for a vote is currently 15 signatures away from the 218 it needs. All Republican members of the House have signed on, so those additional signatures would need to come from Democratic members.

 

Pro-life groups applauded the hearing and criticized the Democratic leadership for blocking the bill. "We thank Whip Scalise, Rep. Wagner, and the Pro-life Caucus for leading the charge to protect babies who survive abortions in the face of extraordinary obstruction from Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats. We urge Democrats from Republican-leaning districts to listen to their constituents, stand against infanticide, and sign the petition right away,"

said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement. 

 

"It is about basic human dignity and compassion, which should be extended especially to the most vulnerable among us. It is unconscionable that Democrats have not allowed a vote on this bill requiring the most basic care," said Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life.

UK: MPs Object to Imposition of Abortion on Northern Ireland

The attempt by the UK to impose abortion on demand on Northern Ireland continues while the Irish people and MPs protest. The nearly three year failure of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein to come together and reconstitute the government in Stormont by October 21 is a crisis that pro-abortion MPs in the UK are taking advantage of to deny Northern Ireland self-determination on abortion law and policy despite the fact that in 2016 the Northern Ireland Assembly voted against changing the law banning abortion except for limited exceptions and all MPs from Northern Ireland voted against the abortion amendment.

 

The two parties sharing the government have differing views with the DUP opposing the legislation which would effectively legalize abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy under select situations and allow abortion on demand for the first 28 weeks (7 months) of pregnancy while Sinn Fein supports the legislation to overturn Northern Ireland's strong pro-life policy.

 

During debate this week in the House of Commons it was revealed that MP Stella Creasy is now attempting to block any chance of the a vote by the Irish people as she sought assurances that the people of Northern Ireland would not be consulted on the implementation of the new extreme abortion policy which she proposed.

 

MPs from Northern Ireland raised concern that there is not enough effort to reconstitute the Executive expressing frustration that Sinn Fein is not acting in good faith because it does not want a vote on abortion. In response to Julian Smith's response that "If the parties get their act together, there can be a Northern Ireland solution to this issue", Sammy Wilson (DUP) said, "He cannot run away and hide behind the statement, 'It is up to the parties in Northern Ireland', as one party that is essential to the setting up of the Administration does not want the responsibility of giving the opportunity to the Assembly to overturn the legislation."

 

Jim Shannon (DUP) told the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that the Northern Ireland Assembly opposed changing the abortion law in any way in a vote in 2016. He also reminded the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: "...on 9 July every Northern Irish Member who takes their seat in Westminster voted against an attempt to overturn our law."

 

"If the Northern Ireland Assembly is not restored by 21 October, then on 22 October all our law governing will disappear until the point at which a child is deemed incapable of being born alive. I want to put it on record that 60% of those surveyed in a national opinion poll in Northern Ireland said that they did not want any change. I am asking the House today not to make this change against the wishes of the people of Northern Ireland. We had a rally at Stormont where almost 30,000 people walked to retain the rights of the unborn baby in the womb. That has to be preserved."

 

The demand that the Northern Ireland Assembly be restored so it can vote on any changes to the abortion law is in line with the agreement in the Programme of Action (PoA) of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) which states in 8.25: "Any measures or changes related to abortion within the health system can only be determined at the national or local level according to the national legislative process."

 

As the world prepares for the 25^th anniversary of ICPD it is shocking to see the UK act in such a heavy-handed way to deny the people of Northern Ireland and their representatives in the Assembly the opportunity to vote on a core moral issue that will impact the lives of children, women, men, and families for generations to come.

 

MP Stella Creasy, who claimed her amendment to impose abortion on Northern Ireland was necessary in order for the UK to be "CEDAW-compliant", appears unfazed that Northern Ireland will not be compliant with the agreement from ICPD that abortion policies need to be determined "according to the national legislative process".

 

Read more here.

Trump's Presence Prevents Promotion of Abortion at G7

Pro-abortion activists had prepared for the opportunity to promote access to abortion "as a fundamental right" at the G7-United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom- held in Biarritz, France under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron. Activists were among the members of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council and had achieved inclusion of language advancing abortion in the Council's 2019 Action Plan and in its Recommendations.

 

The Advisory Council 's Action Plan called for the "Exercise of sexual and reproductive health and rights,including access to modern contraception and safe abortioninformation and services" in the areas of Education and Health. In the Recommendations, the Advisory Council claimed to have "identified some laws and practices from different countries that have recorded a positive change in girls' and women's education and health".

 

The first law related to abortion came from France under the title "Prohibit misinformation on abortion" which the Council explained: "Misinformation on abortion is largely spread on the internet and intentionally misleads women on their right to choose whether or not to have an abortion."

 

Another section of laws was titled " Right to choose and right to have a safe abortion" with the explanation: "Access to safe abortion is a fundamental right, as it falls within the right of every person to have the freedom of decision over, and respect for, their own body."

 

The Council also condemned what it called a pushback or backlash on women's rights which it claimed was "the considerable responsibility of some political leaders".

 

Katja Iversen, president of the pro-abortion group Women Deliver, took a leading role in promoting the Council's recommendations to President Macron. According to Women Deliver's twitter account: Our fearless leader @Katja_Iversen just stepped out of a #G7Biarritz meeting with @EmmanuelMacron where she helped present recommendations - bold yet plausible steps #G7 must take to make the world better for girls and women, and thereby for all.

 

In the end Iverson's efforts failed as the G7 Leaders' Declaration did not include any mention of abortion, reproductive health or rights, or related issues.

 

Iversen's twitter account credited the failure to President Trump's presence: "Despite the fact that the #G7 has noted the importance of sexual and reproductive rights in the past, it seems unlikely to do so at Biarritz with Trump at the summit table given his administration's regressive policies on the subject."

 

The US will hold the G7 presidency in 2020.

 

Costa Rica: Pro-Life Protest Draws Thousands to Say No to Abortion

Thousands of people lined the streets of San Jose to protest legalizing abortion in Costa Rica. The rally was organized in response to reports that the government is drafting a new policy to permit "therapeutic" abortion. Pro-life groups Wake Up Costa Rica, Democracy in Action, and the Autonomous University of Central America led the protest, urging President Carlos Alvarado to protect the right to life of the unborn. Democracy in Action reported the protest was a success and that the groups plan for more peaceful protests next year. "The pro-life people of Costa Rica took to the streets to demonstrate that we're against abortion on demand, and we're not going to remain silent in face of the pretensions of abortion advocates, that we're going to defend life from conception and do so because we are indeed a people of pure life," posted Democracy in Action.

Doctor Faces Charges for Advising Abortion "Kills a Human Being"

A doctor in South Africa has been charged by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) for advising a pregnant woman that abortion "kills a human being".

 

Jacques de Vos, 32, a former Military Hospital doctor, was charged with unprofessional conduct for expressing his views on abortion in 2017 while he was serving on a gynecology rotation and has been barred from medical practice since the complaint was filed.

 

The charges state De Vos is "guilty of dissuading his patient from terminating her pregnancy, of disrespecting the dignity of the patient and using emotive language to convey his beliefs to the patient." The charges read as if taken straight from a book of pro-abortion arguments and further allege that he "failed/neglected to honour and/or respect the patient's right to self- determination, to have disrespected his patient's choices regarding her autonomy and failed/neglected to respect his patient's right to bodily and psychological integrity."

 

A disciplinary inquiry was begun last month but postponed until October 3 to allow the doctor's legal team time to prepare his defense. Dr De Vos is a member of the international pro-life organization Doctors For Life International (DFL). A statement from DFL includes: "This case is likely to attract great interest in the medical community as health care practitioners such as Dr De Vos are often victimised and discriminated against for upholding the sanctity of life for unborn children and for advising women of the adverse effects of abortion on the mother of the unborn child."

 

The case is receiving attention in South Africa which allows abortion on demand for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy but has been criticized for not providing easy access to abortion. During a June Sexual and Reproductive Health workshop by Health-e News and Global Health Strategies, complaints were issued surrounding "stigma and judgement from colleagues make working conditions difficult for termination of pregnancy (TOP) service providers in the public health that many opt to leave the service rather than continue to work in hostile environments".

 

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) announced its strong support for DeVos; ACDP MP Marie Sukers stated, "The ACDP commends Dr Jacques de Vos for taking a bold and unpopular stand in choosing to be a voice for the voiceless.

 

"The ACDP believes in the sanctity of human life, and we look forward to a time when the life of an unborn child will be given the reasonable protection it deserves. Dr de Vos is to us an indication that the time for that is not far off. His statement, which has landed him in hot water with the HPCSA and 2 Military Hospital, shows that there are people who know that we cannot value human rights without valuing human life.

 

"Our hope is that a greater appreciation and respect for women and for life will take root in our cultural perspective without violating freedom of choice or freedom of belief...In our view, too many mothers who opt for abortion are doing so without the necessary information to make an informed decision.

 

"The ACDP stands in solidarity with Dr De Vos. We wish him all the best and we pray that righteousness will prevail..."

 

CitizenGo Africa has a petition expressing support for Dr DeVos.

Pro-Abortion Cohorts Form New Alliance to Expand Abortion Globaly

Five leading pro-abortion organizations have formed a new alliance and created a digital platform on abortion access in response to what they describe as "growing opposition to reproductive rights". International Planned Parenthood Federation, Ipas, Marie Stopes International, Population Services International, and Safe Abortion Action Fund have united in creation of the "first digital platform of its kind, working to eliminate unsafe abortion by putting evidence-based guidance in the hands of frontline practitioners and policy makers" with the goal of advancing access to abortion around the world. Their planned efforts include seeking to clarify the legal status of abortion in countries and helping train health workers in abortion.

 

In announcing the site the groups stated that they were "delighted to launch the SafeAccess Hub" which contains information on various aspects of abortion from the groups and other abortion-minded organizations including the Center for Reproductive Rights, WHO and Guttmacher. Included is a publication by Ipas on abortion among adolescent girls that contains "Recommendations for improving abortion access for girls ages 10-14" stating that "girls (ages 10-14) face unique barriers to accessing abortion care, specially tailored programs and outreach are needed to meet their needs."

 

One of the legal 'tools' on the website is the Center for Reproductive Rights' Whose Right to Life which is recommended to counter initiatives that seek "to recognize the right to life prior to birth. Advocates and policymakers can use this toolkit to preserve abortion rights in the face of opposition and dismantle existing barriers to legal abortion."

As the world moves toward the Nairobi Summit in November marking the 25^th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) the site recognizes ICPD25 and states that "there is still much work to be done in our efforts to scale up access to safe abortion." The groups seeks greater collaboration stating: "Our community - as providers, advocates, decision makers and donors - need to come together in new partnerships to ensure safe abortion services are available; to remove the unnecessary barriers that stigmatise women and providers; and to realise the potential of new technologies to increase access."

IPPF and MSI are the two largest global abortion providers who refuse to comply with the terms of President Trump's Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy, a decision resulting in a loss of US funding.

Pressure from CRC on South Korean to Legalize Abortion

Pressure from UN treaty monitoring bodies on the Republic of Korean (South Korea) to legalize abortion continues as Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) reviews South Korea's latest report during its 82^nd session in Geneva.

 

In the past review, the CRC pressured the country on access to abortion for adolescents due to its law which only allows abortion for strict health exceptions and in cases of rape, incest, and disability of the unborn child. In the List of issues prepared by the CRC for South Korea, the very first issue that the CRC wanted to hear about is the steps taken to "Review legislation to ensure access to safe abortion for single adolescent mothers".

 

In the official response to the List of issues, the country explains that in regards to single adolescent mothers it intends to pursue legislation to change the law: "As the Constitutional Court ruled in April 2019 that a ban on abortion pursuant to the Criminal Act is unconstitutional, the Korean government and National Assembly plan to amend relevant laws and statutes by December 2020...The Korean government and National Assembly are in the process of reviewing and discussing the legislative measures required to ensure access to safe abortions and ways to provide relevant information, counseling, and education."

 

The CRC abortion activism contradicts the Convention on the Rights of the Child which it is supposed to oversee which states in the Preamble, "Bearing in mind that, as indicated in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, "the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth."

 

As previously reported, South Korea, including the Constitutional Court, have been facing pressure from various UN entities to change its law restricting access to abortion including from members of the United Nations Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice (WGDAW), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and the Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Head of UNFPA Warns: Need to "Keep Handmaiden's Tale Fiction"

As UNFPA prepares for the November Nairobi Summit marking the 25^th anniversary of ICPD, Dr Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, took her first trip to Australia to ensure Australian government support "for women's rights in developing countries particularly when it comes to access to sexual and reproductive health care." The main message of her visit was that UNFPA is "concerned women's rights are under threat" pointing to opposition from "small but well-funded and well-organized lobby groups" around the world focused on the issues surrounding sexual and reproductive health and rights.

 

During an interview, she refused to mention by name any organization she claims is working against women's rights despite being repeatedly asked "Who are you talking about? Who is trying to change what you do?" Kanem did specifically criticize the cutoff of funding for UNFPA from the US and thanked Australia for its financial support.

 

Citing the ICPD Cairo conference and the upcoming Nairobi Summitt marking the 25^th anniversary of ICPD, she said in the interview, "It's been 25 years since the United Nations recognized and protected the rights of women but the organization is concerned that progress made on that front is now under threat." She lamented the disagreements in negotiations on Universal Health Coverage over the "sticking point" on "women's rights" which she failed to explain includes disagreement over access to abortion promoted as health care.

 

In a speech at ANU Crawford School- Asia and the Pacific's leading graduate public policy school-she spoke on Unfinished business: the pursuit of rights and choices for all, the title of the latest UNFPA Report which recognizes Lilianne Ploumen- the Dutch Minister who after President Trump issued the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy established the She Decides abortion fund- as a Champion of Change. The report states that Ploumen "called on women around the world to send their own message: no one decides about women's bodies except women themselves."

 

According to twitter, Kanem's remarks included saying, "We need to keep The Handmaid's Tale in the fiction aisle. Women - we are not going back", referencing the book and television drama about a totalitarian society that forces fertile women into child-bearing slavery.

 

During the visit she also met with the Australian Parliamentary Group on Population & Development which she thanked for its strong political and financial support to UNFPA and the ICPD mandate.

Australia: New South Wales Parliament to Hold Final Vote on Abortion Bill

The New South Wales parliament will soon have a final vote on the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019, a bill to legalize abortion on demand for the first 22 weeks of pregnancy. The bill would widen the scope of legal abortion, which currently is permitted if a doctor deems it necessary for a woman's physical or mental health. The bill passed the Legislative Assembly on August 8th on a vote of 59-31 but created division among the ruling Liberal party as 19 out of 33 Liberals voted against the bill. Premier Gladys Berejiklian is seeking to establish party unity while a number of party members are now threatening to move to the crossbench (independent party) if certain amendments are not included. Further amendments and debates are expected as the Upper House begins consideration.

New Zealand: Abortion on Demand Bill Passes First Vote

The New Zealand parliament has advanced a bill that would make the national abortion law one of the most liberal abortion laws in the world. The bill, which passed its first vote by 94-23, would permit abortion on demand for the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, removing all counseling and two-doctor requirements, and remove abortion from the criminal code. It would permit late term abortions if one doctor deems it necessary for the mother's physical or mental health. Pro-life MPs strongly opposed the bill, speaking in a heated debate. National MP Agnes Lohemi clarified that abortion is not a health care issue. "As the statistics show, abortion is overwhelmingly not about a mother's health, particularly in the first trimester", she said. "It is about a decision to terminate a life for life-style reasons. We should as a society have the courage to admit that." National MP Gerry Brownless called the bill "extreme" and noted that the bill does not address the international problem of sex-selection abortions. The legislation now moves to a special committee for further consideration and amendments.

India: Prime Minister Urges Government to Impose Population Control Policies

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on national and local governments to institute policies to control the country's "reckless" population growth.

 

"Population explosion will cause many problems for our future generations. We have to be concerned about population explosion. The centre as well as state governments should launch schemes to tackle it," said Modi. The Prime Minister urged families to have less children, saying that having smaller families is an "act of patriotism". Last month, an MP appointed by the Prime Minister introduced the Population Regulation Bill, 2019 which would impose a national two-child policy that would fine and penalize families with more than two children from holding public office, higher interest rates, and reduced food rations. Despite the Prime Minister's claims, reports indicate that the birth rate in India is actually slowing, and coupled with a heavily skewed proportion of males to females due to sex selection abortion, will decline.

US: Ohio Governor Cuts Planned Parenthood Funding, Funds Pregnancy Centers

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed into law legislation that defunds Planned Parenthood for fiscal years 2020-21. The state's operating $69 billion budget bill cut $1.5 million from Planned Parenthood and then directed $7.5 million to pregnancy resource centers. State pro-lifers applauded the move, the first time Ohio has cut funding for the abortion giant. "The Ohio legislature has again shown its commitment to passing pro-life initiatives that not only work to end abortion but also to promote the life and well-being of women and their children, born and unborn. In conjunction with the increased funds for home vistiation for at-risk mothers, wrap around services for school-age children, and for foster care agencies, this budget represents a truly pro-life investment in Ohio's families and children," said Stephanie Ranade Krider, Vice President and Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life.

Iceland: Abortion on Demand Goes Into Effect

Iceland's new law allowing abortion on demand until 22 weeks of pregnancy went into effect on September 1st. Passed in May, the bill changed the previous 16 week limit for abortion on demand, removed the requirement that a committee approve the abortion request, and eliminated the need for minors to obtain parental or guardian consent.

 

The language for abortion was also changed. Article 13 proposed that "interruption of pregnancy" be used instead of the Icelandic term for abortion which means literally "fetus extermination" stating that the word  abortion "has been considered a charged word."

 

Bill sponsor, Minister of Health Svandís Svavarsdóttir, said at the time of the vote that the 40 votes in favor of passage means that "there are 40 members of Parliament who are ready for the 21st century."

 

US: Court Rules in Favor of Rule Defunding Planned Parenthood

The 9^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Trump Administration can defund Planned Parenthood, rejecting the abortion provider's motion to block new pro-life requirements. Last year, the Trump Administration instituted a new rule for Title X (family planning) funding that prohibits tax payer funding to any abortion providing entity unless they separate their abortion business from their federally funded services. Planned Parenthood refused to comply and filed a lawsuit to block the new policy. With the new ruling, those funds of $50-60 million can now be directed to providing health care services women need, not abortion.

UK: Court of Appeals Upholds Abortion Clinic "Buffer Zones"

A UK Court of Appeal has upheld an abortion clinic "buzzer zone" established by the Ealing Council in London last year. The zone was created around a Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing after complaints of "intimidation, harassment and distress" from pro-life protests. Pro-life groups challenged the "public spaces protection order" (PSPO) arguing it violated their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief and freedom of assembly. The three judges ruled the Ealing Council's policy was "justified".