Britain's threat to pro-life free speech is closer than you think

The United Kingdom is debating a bill to put in place “buffer zones” around abortion facilities which could violate free expression.

Kristen Waggoner is CEO, president, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom. Follow her on Twitter @KWaggonerADF or follow ADF @ADFLegal.

Shortly before Christmas, video footage depicting the arrest of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce went viral. For many years, Isabel has volunteered her time to support pregnant women in need. For choosing to pray, in silence—in a censorship zone—she was interrogated, searched, arrested, and ultimately charged for "protest" and "engaging in an act that is intimidating to service users." Notably, the abortion facility was closed at the time that she stopped to pray. And yet, for silent prayer, she could be deemed a criminal in the eyes of the law.

Army veteran Adam Smith-Connor came next. Bournemouth, England, has in place an absurdly detailed "buffer zone" ordinance, eerily posted on a signpost delineating prohibited activities. These include sprinkling holy water, kneeling, reading scripture, and prayer considered to be an "act of approval/disapproval" toward abortion. Adam, like Isabel, chose to pray silently in a censorship zone for his son, lost years ago to abortion. After interrogating him about the contents of his private prayer, Bournemouth’s "community safety accredited officers" on patrol fined him for contravening the rules of the zone.