Australian abortion doctors fear attacks

The state government is considering extra security

Doctors in Australia have said they fear the murder of a security guard at an abortion clinic is the start of US-style anti-abortion violence.

Steven Rogers was shot dead in Melbourne on Monday at Australia's oldest legal abortion clinic.

All the US doctors I know wear a bullet-proof vest to work

Dr David Grundmann

A man arrested at the scene appeared in court on Tuesday charged with murder - but he refused to give his name or enter a plea.

The man told the magistrate it was "all right by me" when told his refusal to give his name would only slow proceedings.

The man, who appeared to be in his thirties or early forties, was arrested after a scuffle with two bystanders in the waiting room of the Fertility Control Clinic.

Police said the two men's action "quite easily avoided a massacre".

'Wake-up call'

Anti-abortion campaigners condemned the killing.

But an Australian clinic director, Dr David Grundmann, who is also the president of the International Society of Abortion Doctors, said doctors were now likely to start wearing bullet-proof vests to work.

Dr Grundmann said four US colleagues had been shot by anti-abortion protesters, two of whom had died.

"All the US doctors I know wear a bullet-proof vest to work," Dr Grundmann told The Australian newspaper.

"One has built his home into a fortress and he has a loaded handgun in each operating theatre."

Australian Medical Association State President Mukesh Haikerwal said the shooting was a "wake-up call" for all doctors to improve security.

Injured suspect

Meanwhile the Victoria State Government was considering stepping up security at some health centres.

State Health Minister John Thwaites said he would wait for results of a police investigation before deciding what to do.

"If there are steps that need to be taken in terms of security of certain places, well then those recommendations will be made," he told ABC radio.

Just minutes before the point-blank shooting, eight members of a Christian prayer group ended their daily protest outside the clinic. They said they did not know the gunman.

At the Melbourne Magistrates Court hearing, magistrate Rodney Crisp said a court order had been granted allowing police to swab the suspect's hands in an effort to extract gun-shot residues.

The magistrate also ruled in favour of police applications to physically examine the accused and take a DNA sample with a cheek swab.

The defendant, who appeared in court without shoes, was injured during the scuffle at the clinic, though he said in court his facial injuries were "very minor".

He will remain in custody until his next court appearance on 20 November.