A professional-life volunteer was told to go away an abortion clinic buffer zone within the West Midlands after praying silently, her lawyer has said.
The Alliance Defending Freedom UK (ADF), which is supporting Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, said that footage showed a police officer telling her to go away the realm because her “mere presence” may constitute “harassment, alarm and distress”.
This was allegedly because she is understood to have pro-life beliefs and belong to a pro-life organisation – Vaughan-Spruce is the co-CEO of the UK March for Life.
“[The officer] believes that simply because I hold pro-life beliefs, I’m mechanically a criminal in certain public areas. This is not right,” she said.
Vaughan-Spruce has repeatedly prayed outside the abortion facility for the last twenty years but in recent times has faced quite a few legal challenges and arrests after the introduction of a buffer zone that prohibits actions deemed to amount to “intimidation”, “harassment” or “influencing an individual’s decision to access” an abortion facility.
In 2023, Birmingham Magistrates Court found her not guilty of breaching a buffer zone for praying silently in her mind. Last 12 months she received £13,000 in compensation from West Midlands Police for being wrongfully arrested twice for praying silently inside an abortion clinic buffer zone.
Last October the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) issued guidance stating that silent prayer in an abortion clinic buffer zone is “not necessarily” a criminal offense and that actions have to be “overt” with a purpose to meet the brink of criminality.
Commenting on the newest incident, Vaughan-Spruce said, “It has been made clear time and time again through the decision of Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, through the concession and payout from the police, through the words of the previous Home Secretary and thru CPS Guidance – you can not break the law by simply existing in a buffer zone, holding thoughts and beliefs in your mind.
“Every person has a right to face in a public space and think what they need. The police officer told me that my ‘mere presence’ was offensive – that is nothing in need of viewpoint discrimination. He believes that simply because I hold pro-life beliefs, I’m mechanically a criminal in certain public areas. This is not right.”
Her legal counsel with ADF UK, Jeremiah Igunnubole, said: “Nobody must be criminalised for publicly holding lawful views or associating with any lawful cause. The concept that the state can interrogate residents and instruct them to go away certain public areas based on their pro-life beliefs and associations is profoundly chilling and concrete evidence, if ever we wanted more, of viewpoint-based two-tier policing.
“If Isabel may be treated this fashion then what does this mean for all Christians holding to biblical truths? This is not 1984; it’s 2025 – police must respect the basic rights of freedom of speech, thought and association.”
West Midlands Police have been contacted for comment.
