Stella Creasy targeted by anti-abortion group in Walthamstow constituency

Labour MP Stella Creasy says her constituency "has my back" as she faces "harassment" from an anti-abortion group.

Ms Creasy, who represents Walthamstow in northeast London, was targeted by protesters who put up graphic posters in her constituency.

The MP, who is pregnant, shared a photo on Twitter on Monday of a billboard advert which read "StopStella.com".

It also showed a large photograph of what is claimed to be a "nine-week living fetus".

Ms Creasy called on Clear Channel Direct, a British outdoor advertising company, to reveal how much it was paid for the advert.

She added in her Twitter post: "@MetPolice still think this is just 'free speech' and not harassment of women in Walthamstow?"

Ms Creasy also called on Home Secretary Priti Patel to take action.

On Monday evening the boards were removed and Clear Channel released a statement online which said: "We apologise for a recent billboard campaign in Walthamstow. We have removed this campaign and are reviewing our internal processes."

A Clear Channel spokesman earlier apologised for "any offence" caused by the adverts.

The posters were put up as part of action by the UK-wing of the Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR UK), an American anti-abortion organisation.

The group also launched the StopStella.com website, which calls on the MP to "stop promoting human rights abuses of children in the womb".

Ms Creasy says she is being deliberately targeted by the group because she is pregnant.

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The politician's amendment to extend abortion access to Northern Ireland was approved by MPs in July.

Just over two hours after posting her initial tweet on Monday, the MP shared a follow-up message on Twitter which showed somebody had painted over the billboard with white paint.

She wrote: "I would rather Clear Channel Direct took this down, the @metpoliceuk acted to stop the harassment and @patel4witham brought in buffer zone legislation to deal with these people in the first place - but in the mean time it seems Walthamstow has my back."

Her tweets on Monday come after the MP said she felt "physically sick" when protesters targeted her over the weekend.

Demonstrators put up a poster showing a photo of Ms Creasy's face next to a picture of what was said to be a "24-week aborted baby girl".

The poster read "your MP is working hard... to make this a human right" and included the "StopStella.com" web address.

Ms Creasy wrote in her tweet on Saturday: "Feel physically sick. Tried to warn you @sajidjavid and @AmberRuddHR when you said powers in place to deal with this c*** enough.

"Today the police said they wouldn't use PSPO (public spaces protection order) powers to move these people on.

"We also have recording saying targeting me explicitly for being pregnant."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in a tweet on Saturday: "Whilst the right to peaceful protest must be respected, behaviour that deliberately targets women for harassment and intimidation should not be tolerated."

CBR UK said in a statement: "The #StopStella Campaign is calling upon Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, to stop promoting human rights abuses of children in the womb.

"We do so through the use of scientifically verified images of unborn children. These are being displayed on billboards, phone kiosks and handheld displays in Walthamstow city centre, juxtaposed with words or images that accurately portray Stella's position on abortion."

A Clear Channel spokesperson said: "We sincerely apologise for any offence that has been caused by a recent campaign which we ran in Walthamstow on behalf of a customer.

"We're taking immediate action to remove this campaign."

The spokesperson added: "We are reviewing the internal processes we have in place regarding the campaigns and content we run, to prevent an issue like this from happening again."