Nearly 60,000 join call for UK prime minister to safeguard right to pray silently

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 29, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A petition calling for the U.K.’s prime minister to protect the right of British citizens to engage in silent prayer has garnered nearly 60,000 signatures following recent arrests of pro-life advocates outside of abortion clinics.

The open letter urges Prime Minister Keir Starmer to refrain from naming silent prayer as a criminal offense. The issue comes amid recent civil and criminal charges issued against pro-life advocates for violating so-called “buffer laws” designed to ban demonstrations outside of abortion clinics.

The letter, circulated by Alliance Defending Freedom UK, notes that buffer zone laws, also known as Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), “have quickly become thought- and speech-restricting ‘censorship zones.’”

ADF UK’s letter cites the recent example of Adam Smith-Connor, an army veteran who was arrested and convicted for praying silently outside an abortion clinic. The Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court on Oct. 16 found Smith-O’Connor guilty of violating buffer zone laws.

The court mandated Smith-O’Connor pay prosecution costs of nearly $12,000 and further ruled that he will face sentencing if convicted of an offense in the next two years.

“The slippery slope is clear; if the criminal law requires us to refrain from ‘offensive’ thoughts anywhere, there is simply no logical endpoint,” ADF UK stated.

“Today, it’s pro-life views that offend progressive social orthodoxies; tomorrow, it could be gender-critical views and gender-critical buffer zones. A genuinely democratic society must champion diversity of thought and the free and frank exchange of views,” the letter continued.

ADF UK revealed that it was able to crowdsource funding to pay Smith-O’Connor’s legal fees and that it is “now considering options to appeal [the court’s] unjust decision.”

The letter also cites the cases of pro-life activists Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, Lovia Tossici-Bolt, and Father Sean Gough, who were targeted by the U.K. government for praying silently or holding signs outside of abortion clinics in the U.K.

“In over 10 civil proceedings and criminal charges regarding silent prayer, the legal outcome has been clear on each occasion: Silent prayer is not a crime, and the state has no authority to censor our thoughts,” the letter continued.

Vaughan-Spruce was eventually acquitted of all charges, and the officers who arrested her were ordered to pay the pro-life advocate 13,000 pounds — about $16,000 — in compensation for wrongful arrest and assault and battery.

What are ‘buffer zone’ laws?

Essentially, “buffer zone” laws establish a perimeter around abortion facilities, barring protesters from demonstrating in any way within 150 to 200 meters (about 500 to 650 feet) of the premises, depending on local regulations.

There are currently five councils across the U.K. that enforce abortion clinic buffer zones — though that is set to change at the end of this month when buffer zones will be enforced on a nationwide basis.

Parliament passed the Public Orders Act of 2023 for England and Wales, which will enact “safe access zones” of nearly 500 feet around abortion clinics nationally on Oct. 31, barring all forms of protest within these zones, from silent prayer to blocking clinic entrances. Punishment for violations includes up to six months in prison and unlimited fines.

In the letter, ADF UK called on Starmer to vacate the legislation over its suppression of free speech.

“Prime Minister, we urge you to refrain from issuing guidance that ignores the courts, domestic and international law, and the fundamental rights of the members of the public who put you into power,” the letter stated, appealing to Starmer, in conclusion, to “please act urgently to ensure that thought is never buffered, censored, or criminalized.”

Northern Ireland also passed its own Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act in 2023, establishing a radius of 100 meters, or approximately 328 feet. Scotland followed suit with its Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act in 2024, allotting a radius of 200 meters, or approximately 656 feet.