Former Conservative minister Michael Gove has weighed in on the present controversy surrounding free speech and Scottish abortion buffer zones.
The controversy began when US Vice President claimed that residents living inside Scottish abortion buffer zones were sent letters warning that praying of their homes could represent a violation of the law, which is aimed toward protecting those searching for an abortion from intimidation and influence.
One of the letters sent to residents stated, “In general, the offences apply in public places inside the Safe Access Zones. However, activities in a personal place (comparable to a house) … may very well be an offence in the event that they may be seen or heard inside the Zone and are done intentionally or recklessly.”
The MSP who proposed the law, Gillian Mackay, claimed that Vance was spreading misinformation, but later admitted that there have been circumstances by which an individual praying at home may very well be in violation of the law, for instance praying by a window when someone searching for an abortion walks by.
Gove, who’s Catholic, gave his views on GB News, saying, “It is improper to say that somebody cannot pray – silently – because you may have a selected view on abortion … For me, free speech is as near a fundamental principle as any. And so is freedom of worship.”
The Spectator editor also stated that “real intimidation” should face sanction, but said that prayer shouldn’t be considered a criminal offense.
He said, “prayer … that’s at the muse of the country … I’m not saying that everybody should imagine, but you’ll be able to’t understand Britain without understanding our Judeo-Christian tradition.
“Freedom of conscience and freedom of faith are fundamental freedoms.”
Gove’s comments were praised by Jeremiah Igunnubole, Legal Counsel for ADF International, an organisation working with pro-lifers who’ve been prosecuted under the buffer zone law.
Igunnubole said, “The policing of individuals’s very thoughts in ‘buffer zones’ is probably the most extreme example of censorship across the West. While crime festers on the streets of England, it’s unbelievable that police time and resources are focused on criminalising peaceful Christians, who simply wish to pray.
“Nobody can deny that two-tier policing is an issue here; no one can deny that we’re riding roughshod over freedom of speech and of thought. I thank Michael Gove, VP Vance and the numerous other voices who’re issuing this wake-up call – we must restore basic standards of human rights.”
