Anyone who silently prays outside any abortion provider in England and Wales now faces criminal prosecution and an unlimited fine.
From 31 October – ‘a shameful day for our country’, anti-abortion campaigner Isabel Vaughan-Spruce said – every clinic and hospital carrying out abortions is now protected by a 150-metre ‘safe access zone’. The move, introduced under the Public Order Act 2023, criminalises anyone who intentionally or recklessly influences or obstructs someone accessing the clinic or causes them harassment, alarm or distress.
A subsequent government statement explicitly says silent prayer could breach the rules. There is no statutory defence on religious or ethical grounds. However, Crown Prosecution Guidance suggests that an ‘overt’ act (such as handing out anti-abortion leaflets) should be identified for a decision to prosecute.
The guidance says: ‘Prosecutors will need to consider not only all the facts and circumstances of the particular conduct, but also the context in which the conduct takes place.’
Christian Institute Head of Policy and Research, David Greatorex, said: ‘These restrictions are a clear attack on free speech and religious freedom. There are already laws against harassment, but censorship zones could go beyond speech to even outlawing prayer in your own head.’
Adam Smith-Connor, an army veteran convicted of an offence after praying silently within a buffer zone in Bournemouth is to appeal his conviction. He said: ‘Surely a silent thought cannot be a crime... The government simply cannot be allowed to determine the content of thoughts and prayers.’
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