Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was arrested for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham in Dec, 2022<\/p>\n
As the crackdown on free speech accelerates, the UK government is set to ban people silently praying in their heads outside abortion clinics.<\/strong><\/p>\n MPs voted for legislation last year that would ban silent prayer within \u2018buffer zones\u2019 150 metres around the location of a clinic or hospital providing abortion services.<\/p>\n However, this has not come come into force and guidance was subsequently published allowing silent prayer within \u2018safe access zones\u2019 where activists would be able to hand out leaflets and engage in conversations with women considering abortions.<\/p>\n The guidance stated that, \u201cSilent prayer, being the engagement of the mind and thought in prayer towards God, is protected as an absolute right under the Human Rights Act 1998 and should not, on its own, be considered to be an offence under any circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n The issue shot to public attention in March 2023 when campaigner Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was arrested<\/a> by police for silently praying in front of a British Pregnancy Advisory Services clinic that was subject to a \u2018buffer zone\u2019 order.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8BREAKING: Isabel has been arrested, AGAIN, for THINKING.<\/p>\n MPs vote TOMORROW on banning silent prayer near all abortion facilities in\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f&\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f<\/p>\n "You've said you're engaging in prayer, which is the offense." — ADF UK (@ADF_UK) March 6, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
"Silent prayer."
"You were still engaging in prayer, which is the offense." pic.twitter.com\/AId3OguiXz<\/a><\/p>\n