VIDEO Police Arrest Woman Again for Silent Prayer in the United Kingdom as the Government Outlaws Prayer Near Clinics


WATCH: Police accuse Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, “you’ve said you’ve been engaging in prayer, which is the offence”
Arrest comes only weeks after the court confirmed that Vaughan-Spruce was “not guilty” of breaking PSPO “buffer zone” by silently praying
MPs to vote TODAY on whether to roll out “buffer zones” across England & Wales
(7th March 2023) – Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has been arrested for the second time for the “offence” of silently praying in her head within an abortion facility censorship zone or “buffer zone”.

Bail conditions have been imposed on Vaughan-Spruce prohibiting her from attending an area within the vicinity of the abortion facility which extends beyond the censorial “buffer zone”. 
The arrest, which was attended by six police officers, comes only weeks after the charitable volunteer was found “not guilty” by Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. She had been criminally charged on the basis that her silent, imperceptible prayers amounted to “intimidation”.
The prosecution were not able to present any evidence to the court to substantiate the “thoughtcrime”, and Isabel’s name was cleared.
“Only three weeks ago, it was made clear by the court that my silent prayers were not a crime. And yet, again, I have been arrested and treated as a criminal for having the exact same thoughts in my head, in the same location. The ambiguity of laws that limit free expression and thought – even in peaceful, consensual conversation or in silent, internal prayer – leads to abject confusion, to the detriment of important fundamental rights. Nobody should be criminalised for their thoughts.”
Vaughan-Spruce has volunteered to support women in crisis pregnancies for twenty years. In February, she was cleared of criminal charges for violating a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which enforces a censorship zone around the abortion facility on Station Road, Birmingham. The full text of the PSPO, banning prayer, among other activities considered to constitute protest, is available here.
ADF UK, the legal organisation which protects fundamental freedoms and has campaigned against censorship zones, supported Vaughan-Spruce’s court victory in February. They have committed to standing up for her freedom of thought.
Government Makes All Prayer Illegal 
Members of Parliament have just approved the introduction of censorship zones (also known as “buffer zones”) outside of abortion facilities across England and Wales. Clause 10 (formerly Clause 9) of the Public Order Bill will criminalise any form of “influence” outside of abortion facilities – including in the form of silent prayer. An amendment to permit silent prayer and consensual conversations within the censorship zones was proposed by Andrew Lewer MP, but failed to pass after a vote of 116 to 299.
 “Today’s vote marks a watershed moment for fundamental rights and freedoms in our country. Parliament had an opportunity to reject the criminalisation of free thought, which is an absolute right, and embrace individual liberty for all. Instead, Parliament chose to endorse censorship and criminalise peaceful activities such as silent prayer and consensual conversation,” said Jeremiah Igunnubole, Legal Counsel for ADF UK, the legal organisation working to promote fundamental freedoms. 
“Today it’s abortion. Tomorrow it could be another contested matter of political debate. The principle remains that the government should never be able to punish anyone for prayer, let alone silent prayer, and peaceful and consensual conversation. 
Thankfully, where the clause initially called for a prison sentence for those convicted of engaging in these peaceful activities near abortion facilities, the penalty now has been reduced to a fine. Nevertheless, it is extremely regrettable that Parliament, which exists to protect and champion the rights of the electorate, has taken a clear stance against fundamental freedoms, opening the door for nationwide thought-crime prosecution,” he continued. Concerns about criminalising thought The vote comes despite the most recent government review (2018) finding that censorship zones would be an unnecessary and “disproportionate” restriction on rights, given that harassment is already criminalised under existing legislation, and instances of harassment outside abortion facilities were found to be “rare”. Most frequently, according to the review, volunteers pray, or offer leaflets about help services available to women who would be interested in alternatives to abortion. 
According to BBC polling last year, almost 1 in 5 women who have abortions do so against their will.
Sources: https://adf.uk/parliament-introduces-thought-crime/

Comments

Post a Comment