Strangeness in Strangeville

Spanish abortion clinics began a week-long strike on Tuesday, criticizing the government for what they said was harassment since a series of police raids on Barcelona centers accused of illegal abortions.

More than 1,000 women will be unable to have an abortion this week after 31 private clinics shut their doors to all cases except for those when the mother's health was at risk, said a spokeswoman for abortion clinic association ACAI. The 31 clinics performed most of Spain's 101,592 abortions in 2006, ACAI said.

Late last year Barcelona police arrested 13 people, many of them gynecologists and anesthetists, in raids against clinics accused of performing illegal, late-term abortions.

ACAI spokeswoman Francisca Garcia said the government had increased intrusive inspections against its members even though none of its members were involved in the raids. Spain's health minister had ignored requests for talks, she said. ...

Abortion is only permitted in certain cases, for example, up to 12 weeks for women who have been raped or up to 22 weeks if a fetus is malformed. It is also available if a birth poses a psychological risk to the mother.