Man arrested inside Bank Street abortion clinic safe zone

Ottawa police arrested a man outside the Morgentaler Clinic Wednesday afternoon and charged him under a new law intended to establish safe zones around abortion clinics.

Policehad received several complaints about the man, who was standing near theBank Street clinic, an Ottawa Police Servicespokesperson said.

It's the first arrest Ottawa police have made under theSafe Access to Abortion Services Act, which bansprotesting within a 50-metre radius of an abortion clinic.

Police said the man in question hadbeen warned about his presence outside the clinic since Feb. 1, when the safe zone rules were first implemented,and has been one of the more consistent demonstrators outside of it over the months.

He was again warned on Wednesday and later charged with fiveoffences under the new act despite not directly addressing abortion in his signs.

Details about the specific charges were not immediately available.

He is expected to appear in court in March.