UK bishops warn new Public Order Act unfairly affects people of faith

London, England, Sep 19, 2024 / 12:06 pm (CNA).

The Catholic bishops of England and Wales have condemned legislation relating to prayer outside abortion clinics, claiming that the proposal represents a step backward for civic and religious freedom.

Bishop John Sherrington, auxiliary bishop of Westminster and spokesperson for the bishops’ conference on issues relating to life, said in a Sept. 18 statement that the Public Order Act “constitutes discrimination and disproportionately affects people of faith.”

“Religious freedom is the foundational freedom of any free and democratic society, essential for the flourishing and realization of dignity of every human person. Religious freedom includes the right to manifest one’s private beliefs in public through witness, prayer, and charitable outreach, including outside abortion facilities,” Sherrington said.

“As well as being unnecessary and disproportionate, we have deep concerns around the practical effectiveness of this legislation, particularly given the lack of clarity in relation to the practice of private prayer and offers of help within ‘safe access zones,’” he continued.

The passage of the Public Order Act means that starting Oct. 31, buffer zones will be introduced around abortion facilities across England and Wales, constituting a distance of 150 meters (almost 500 feet) of “any part of an abortion clinic or any access point to any building or site that contains an abortion clinic.”

A statement from the Home Office published Sept. 18 read: “Safe access buffer zones will make it illegal for anyone to do anything that intentionally or recklessly influences someone’s decision to use abortion services, obstructs them, or causes harassment or distress to someone using or working at these premises. The law will apply within a 150-meter radius of the abortion service provider. Anyone found guilty of breaking the law will face an unlimited fine.”

The College of Policing and Crown Prosecution Service are due to publish guidance on what exactly will constitute illegal activity in the weeks to come. There remains confusion among pro-life campaigners as to whether silent prayer will constitute “illegal activity” under the new legislation.

This controversial question made headline news after charity worker Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was searched and arrested twice for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in November 2022 and February 2023. However, she was eventually compensated by West Midlands police with an apology and a £13,000 (about $17,000) payout, which raises questions about how far the new legislation will go.

In a statement released Sept. 18, Catherine Robinson, spokesperson for Right to Life U.K., said: “Hundreds of women have been helped outside abortion clinics by pro-life volunteers who have provided them with practical support, which made it clear to them that they had another option other than going through with the abortion.”

“The implementation of buffer zones next month will mean that vital practical support provided by volunteers outside abortion clinics, which helps to provide a genuine choice and offers help to women who may be undergoing coercion, will be removed for women and many more lives will likely be lost to abortion,” she stated.