An abortion clinic in Midland has been forced to install CCTV equipment and give staff body cameras because of safety concerns over anti-abortion protests.

The Marie Stopes women’s health group has renewed calls for the McGowan Government to have safe zones outside abortion clinics, after learning pro-life campaigners have a permit to be outside its Midland clinic for the 40 days of Lent —the Christian holy period leading up to Easter.

Staff have complained of being spat on and called murderers, and having holy water thrown at their cars.

Marie Stopes spokeswoman Jacquie O’Brien said the permit allowed up to 30 protesters to be near the Midland clinic between 7am and 5pm.

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All States except WA and South Australia have exclusion zones outside abortion clinics, which prevent protesters coming within 150m or in some cases 50m.

But anti-abortion groups have challenged the validity of safe zones and taken it to the High Court of Australia.

Ms O’Brien said the protests were distressing for women using the clinic and staff.

“We’ve had some terrible things happen and we’ve given staff body cameras just in case, and of course patients have their privacy compromised,” she said.

“A few patients come in quite upset because it can be a difficult decision they’ve made, and while the protesters can’t come into the carpark, you can still see them and often they shout out.

“Sometimes we tell women to wait in their cars and one of our nurses will come out and more or less shelter them as they walk in.”

Health Minister Roger Cook said he was in favour of safe access zones and the WA Health Department was due to release a discussion paper in the next few months.

“I can only imagine the distress a patient will experience when they arrive at a clinic to undergo a legal medical procedure and are confronted with a group of protesters,” he said.

“Whatever decision is ultimately made by the High Court will need to be considered before determining whether safe access zones can be implemented in WA, and in what form they may take.”