A Christian man was arrested in October for praying in an exclusion zone outside an Ealing abortion clinic. The clinic has called for such ‘buffers’ to be instituted around all UK abortion clinics.
Wheelchair user, Christian Hacking was praying outside the Marie Stopes clinic. They called the police, and the police warned Hacking that he was in breach of the Public Space Protection Order around the clinic. As he prayed he told the officers: ‘I don’t think you have a constitutional right to stop someone from praying, so I’m going to continue praying here until you remove me, forcibly ... what’s more important is that God’s law is upheld in this nation and not the law of those who govern this nation and not this ludicrous law that says people can’t pray’.
Hacking asked the police officer if it was a criminal offence for him to pray in that location. The officer said: ‘I’m saying you’re in breach of the court order.’ Hacking responded: ‘So it’s a criminal offence to pray… ?’ The officer then stated: ‘I believe that I’ve given you the answer.’
Body camera footage from the police officer shows Hacking being carried by four police officers to a riot van. Hacking was put in the vehicle without being cautioned (read his rights). He was imprisoned for eight hours after he was alleged to have failed to comply with a Public Spaces Protection Order.
Hacking was set to go to trial on 5 November. However, he was informed that the case would no longer be taken forward because there was not ‘enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction’.
Compulsory abortion
In related abortion news, it was reported in October that a pregnant woman with severe learning difficulties was to be forced to have an abortion. Health professionals and her foster carers (described as Christians and churchgoers) agreed it would be in her best interests.
Although the judge noted that abortion would be a significant interference in her autonomy, he also authorised restraint to be used if necessary whilst anaesthetics were administered. Police are looking into the possibility of a sexual assault having taken place, resulting in the pregnancy.
