Payout for Christian woman who was fined for silent prayer, but government planing new restrictions
A Christian charity volunteer has received a £13,000 payout and an apology from police after claiming her arrest for silently praying outside an abortion clinic was unjust and violated her human rights. While many see this as a victory for religious freedom, the new UK government is planning to introduce national legislation banning prayer outside abortion clinics.
The news of Vaughan-Spruce's payout comes days after reports that the Home Office is planning to criminalise prayer near abortion facilities in its upcoming “buffer zones” legislation, which is due to come into force shortly.
The original draft guidance for a national “buffer zones” legislation, published in December, told police that silent prayer should be allowed in the zones. According to the Telegraph, the new government is now to review this guidance with ministers considering banning silent prayer outside abortion clinics. Labour MP Stella Creasy commented on X: ‘No one has a “right” to pray in front of an abortion clinic – you can pray for women at home if you wish.’
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was first arrested, criminally charged and tried in 2022 for silently praying in a local PSPO “buffer zone” in Birmingham (OIDAC reported), which banned banned all expressions of “approval or disapproval with respect to issues related to abortion services, by any means”.
In February 2023, Vaughan-Spruce, was completely cleared of all charges at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court but only weeks later, Vaughan-Spruce was arrested again, while she was silently standing inside the zone. Six police officers attended the scene, and when she admitted that she “might be praying in her mind” one of them replied “you’ve said you’re engaging in prayer, which is the offence”. The incident has caused an international outcry, including from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Source: ADF International, Telegraph, Spiked, Archive, Telepraph
Picture: Courtesy of ADF