Nearly 60,000 people join call for British Prime Minister to guarantee right to pray in silence

Washington, DC Newsroom, October 29, 2024 / 6:00 am

A petition calling on the British Prime Minister to protect British citizens’ right to silent prayer has collected almost 60,000 signatures following recent arrests of pro-life advocates outside abortion clinics.

The open letter Urges Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to consider silent prayer a criminal offence. The issue comes amid recent civil and criminal charges against pro-life advocates for violating so-called “buffer laws” intended to ban demonstrations outside abortion clinics.

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

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

The court mandated Smith-O’Connor will pay prosecution costs of nearly $12,000 and further ruled that he will be sentenced if convicted of a crime within the next two years.

“The slippery slope is clear; If the criminal law requires us to refrain from ‘offensive’ thoughts everywhere, there is simply no logical end point,” ADF UK said.

“Today it is pro-life views that offend progressive social orthodoxies; tomorrow it could be gender-critical views and gender-critical buffer zones. A truly 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 costs 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 British government for silently praying or holding up signs outside abortion clinics in Britain.

“In more than a dozen civil suits and criminal charges involving silent prayer, the legal outcome on every occasion is clear: silent prayer is not a crime, and the state has no power to censor our thoughts,” the letter continued.

Vaughan-Spruce was ultimately 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, assault and battery.

What are ‘buffer zone laws’?

Essentially, “buffer zone” laws establish a perimeter around abortion facilities, prohibiting 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 in Britain that enforce buffer zones for abortion clinics – although that will change at the end of this month when buffer zones will be enforced on a national basis.

Parliament has the Public Order Act 2023 for England and Wales, which will establish nationwide ‘safe access zones’ of almost 150 meters around abortion clinics on October 31, banning all forms of protest within these zones, from silent prayer to blocking clinic entrances. The penalty for violations includes up to six months in prison and unlimited fines.

In the letter, ADF UK called on Starmer to withdraw the legislation due to its suppression of freedom of expression.

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“Prime Minister, we urge you not to issue directives that ignore the courts, domestic and international law and the fundamental rights of the members of the public who put you in power,” the letter said, who finally appealed to Starmer to “please take urgent action to ensure that thought is never buffered, censored or criminalized.”

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

Madalaine Elhabbal is a staff reporter for the Catholic News Agency, based in EWTN’s Washington, DC bureau. She has been published by CatholicVote and has also worked as a foreign language assistant in France. She graduated from Benedictine College.