Protesters cheered outside the Cabinet Building last night after an unpopular proposal to adopt more stringent insurance coverage for mammography was dropped.

It was an abrupt about-face for Jeanne Atherden, the Minister of Health, who told about 200 women and men that she would not include the policy in the health legislation going up for debate today.

“Part of the development of policy involves creating an understanding around why we institute changes and how they will benefit the people,” Ms Atherden told a largely peaceful crowd.

Saying she intended to do so, the minister assured demonstrators at the “Bras for a Cause” gathering that the breast cancer screening policy would be left off from plans to use United States guidelines.

“This has always been about clinical guidelines and adopting an approach that empowers women to make choices based on their individual needs and in consultation with their physicians to improve their health outcomes and reduce their risks,” she said.

Fielding questions from protesters as she stood on the steps of Cabinet, Ms Atherden conceded that the medical guidelines had not been put to public consultation, but stressed that the move had arisen from talks with physicians and local medical bodies, including the Bermuda Health Council, which endorses the plan.

The issue provoked widespread protest after it emerged from the Health Insurance (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2015, tabled by Ms Atherden two weeks ago.

Kim Wilson, Shadow Minister of Health, registered her objections almost instantly.

“This is the power of the people, that’s all I can say — the people spoke, and I commend the Government for listening,” an elated Ms Wilson said after the announcement.

“The fact is that everybody in their own individual ways, by petitions and broadcasts and social media, all came together for a common cause that transcends race, class, politics and even sex, because men can get breast cancer.

“This is a great example of what we can all do when we work together.”

Last night’s demonstration, in which lawns and railings around the Cabinet building were festooned with bras, gained traction quickly this week via social media.

One of the organisers, Kimberley Hines, said her idea started as a playful suggestion just a few nights ago.

“It was a joke, mostly, but the others said, ‘let’s do it’,” Ms Hines said, alongside friends Coral Welles and Rachael Burrows.

Ms Welles told the protest that she had been given 34 bags of bras collected by Secrets Boutique on behalf of people who could not attend.

To applause, she added: “I am not ready to pick up anything from off this yard until it gets passed tomorrow.”

It was a peaceful protest with little heckling of the minister, but Ms Atherden faced some heated questions, with one man accusing her of changing the script without heeding “the needs, wants and demands of the people”.

Another protester interrupted her, asking to know why she was telling people to see their doctors first before being screened

A few people booed as Ms Atherden, flanked by Attorney-General Trevor Moniz; Cole Simons, the One Bermuda Alliance whip; and Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, Minister of Community, Culture and Sport, left the steps of Cabinet.

“I feel personally that they put the cart before the horse — more research needed to be done,” protester Cindy Swan said afterwards.

“They keep saying that we have to go to our doctor but there are a lot of unemployed women in Bermuda that don’t have health insurance.”

In a PLP statement issued later last night, Ms Wilson said there needed to be wider consultation — that the OBA Government “needs to stop trying to force legislation through without consulting the stakeholders and the experts”.

“We are very pleased with this outcome,” she added. “However, it did not have to go this route had the Government acted collaboratively and in the public’s best interest.”