So-called "buffer zones" around abortion clinics will come into force in
England and Wales on October 31. It will be a "crime" to "persuade" a
mother to keep her unborn child, e.g. by offering vital support.
There
are still conflicting reports about what the law exactly covers.
Bbc.co.uk reports that silent prayer is expected to fall within the
scope of the law. Police and prosecutors will be given guidance on how
to enforce the law in the coming weeks.
Auxiliary Bishop John
Sherrington of Westminster said in a weak statement on September 18 that
the legislation is "a step backwards in the protection of religious and
civic freedoms".
In September 2023, the former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, told
the police that "silent prayer is not in itself unlawful": "Holding
lawful opinions, even if those opinions may offend others, is not a
crime".
The human rights activist Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has been
arrested twice for praying silently in a local buffer zone. So far, her
treatment has been ruled "unjust" by the courts and she has received a
payout.
Picture: RightToLife.org.uk, #newsGzykcyjcpd