Back in December, we posted a video showing U.K. police arresting a woman who was praying silently across the street from an abortion clinic. The abortion clinic was protected by a Public Spaces Protection Order, which, as you’ll see in this video, makes it a crime to pray or even exhibit “acts of disapproval” outside an abortion clinic. Neither of these people was carrying a sign or even speaking; they were praying — and abortion clinics are protected against people praying near them.
(Apologies for the wind noise.)https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1616093622906097669
Another person punished by UK authorities for silently praying outside an abortion clinic: Adam Smith-Connor, fined for praying for his aborted baby son. Adam, who drove his girlfriend to the abortion years ago, has suffered intense regret since then.
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) January 19, 2023
According to @ADF_UK, Smith-Connor "had his back to the clinic in order to be mindful of the privacy of staff and attendees of the abortion facility."https://t.co/dVS6sj2Kgl
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) January 19, 2023
Smith-Connor was in a “buffer" Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) zone criminalizing acts of "approval/disapproval" of abortions, including prayer or counseling within the area.
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) January 19, 2023
We imagine that even if you didn’t say you were praying, you’d be moved along, as you standing there could cause a woman to rethink her abortion.
The faith-based ADF UK reports:
A censorship zone or “buffer zone” has been enforced since 13 October 2022. The zone was implemented by local authorities through a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which criminalises engaging in “an act” or even “attempted act” of “approval/disapproval, with respect to issues related to abortion services, by any means. This includes but is not limited to graphic, verbal or written means, prayer or counselling” within the area surrounding an abortion facility. The PSPO further prohibits religious acts, including reading scripture or crossing oneself. See the full PSPO terms here.
Smith-Connor has now been issued a fine on the basis of the PSPO. The Council stated in their email that the fine is based on his statement that he had been “praying for his son, who is deceased”.
ADF UK is supporting Smith-Connor and has engaged a legal team to challenge his fine.
So … in the U.K., they put up signs around abortion clinics marking the area as a safe zone within which you are not allowed to pray silently.
— Mike Kanin (@KaninMike) January 19, 2023
This is preposterous! Prayer is a private thing to be done anywhere. What in the heavens? How do the powers that be justify this?
— Catlynn (@Cataflys) January 19, 2023
The UK deserves everything coming to it
— OrthoDoge (@realjosephb) January 19, 2023
The thought police are “just doing their jobs.”
— 🌹Lady🇺🇸Texan🌹 (@TexasRose1776) January 19, 2023
Number 1 advice for dealing with police: Silence! Don't answer any question, no matter how much they try to provoke or intimidate you. It's not just a matter of your words being used as evidence, if you answer, you enter into a legal contract submitting to their authority.
— ImagineMyShock💧 (@IanTreloar5) January 19, 2023
What a pathetic display of what police have become.
— House (@xstcy95) January 19, 2023
Greater evil is obviously the policy the UK has adopted – repulsive, dystopian type stuff.
The slightly lesser evil though is thinking the police officer gets a pass because "she's doing her job." I don't envy the police whom are asked to enforce, but she can say no. She didn't.
— drpede (@DrPede) January 19, 2023
She would be remiss is she didn’t ask him what he was praying about.
This is absolutely repulsive. Shameful. How the UK has fallen. A thousand people a day need to make that their permanent prayer spot until this madness stops.
— Laura Rosen Cohen 🪬 🪬 🪬 (@LauraRosenCohen) January 19, 2023
Greatest insanity I have ever seen. You couldn’t imagine this egregious persecution in your worst nightmare. Silent prayer? Personal Space Protection Zones? Completely and utterly insane. What is wrong with the British people that they would tolerate this evil?
— Rhett Solger (@Rhett_Solger) January 19, 2023
It took a few more decades than planned, but the fascists ultimately won in Britain.
— Brian Patrick (@pa50585863) January 19, 2023
The U.S. has the FACE Act, but at least you can hold a sign across the street from an abortion clinic.
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Related:
UK police arrest woman after she admits to praying silently outside an abortion clinic https://t.co/azof3mJQYm
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 22, 2022
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