A peaceful demonstration organised by SPUC took place today outside the Houses of Parliament against “Orwellian” buffer zones, which came into force in England and Wales today.
Today, on 31 October, SPUC held a peaceful demonstration at Westminster against the imposition of buffer zones around abortion facilities in England and Wales.
Around sixty men and women of all ages, including SPUC staff and CEO John Deighan, attended the protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London. Some demonstrators wore orange prison jumpsuits, while others held placards as they protested peacefully against buffer zones.
“Crime: ‘Influencing’ Someone on Abortion”, one sign read. Other placards included: “Crime: ‘Praying About Abortion”, and “Crime: Offering Help to Pregnant Women.”
Mr Deighan addressed the crowd of supporters, which included DUP MP Jim Shannon, who rallied together in defence of free speech and religious freedom.
The England and Wales buffer zones law outlaws all pro-life activity within 150 metres of abortion facilities. The Home Office has also indicated that the ban may also include silent prayer and “any behaviour where someone is intentionally trying to – or recklessly acting in a way that might – influence a person accessing the service”.
Afghanistan veteran Adam Smith-Connor was found guilty this month of praying silently for his dead son outside an abortion facility in Bournemouth. “All I did was pray to God”, he said after the ruling.
Following the verdict, Mr Smith-Connor was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £9,000 in legal costs. Citizens found guilty of breaching buffer zones could face unlimited fines.
A similar buffer zones law came into force in Scotland in September. SPUC also protested outside Holyrood.
While SPUC does not participate in or organise prayer vigils or pro-life activity outside abortion facilities, it defends the right of citizens to offer help and moral support to women in crisis pregnancies.
“Chilling and Orwellian”, says SPUC
Michael Robinson, Executive Director of SPUC, said: “This chilling and Orwellian measure is being introduced for ideological reasons. It will be used by aggressive secularist zealots to try and shut down legitimate peaceful vigils and control religious activity, including silent prayer.
“Most ordinary people, regardless of where they stand on the issue of abortion, would think harassing people merely for standing silently on a public pavement, or outside their home if they live within the buffer zone, is heavy-handed and fraught with difficulties. Indeed, the State trying to police silent prayer and thought seems wholly contrary to Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which explicitly safeguards freedom of religion, allowing anyone to ‘either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance’.
Mr Robinson added: “We are therefore actively consulting legal experts as we believe that the inclusion of silent prayer constitutes a gross intrusion in the right of freedom of religion, free speech and accordingly needs to be properly tested in the Courts.”