- Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who was arrested for praying silently in a viral video, asks Scottish parliament to protect freedom of thought in “buffer zones” bill
- Scottish proposal could ban prayer and pro-life conversations even inside houses within 150m or more of abortion facilities
- Mother helped by pro-life volunteers also to testify to parliament against censorial “buffer zones” today
EDINBURGH (12 March 2024) – The charitable volunteer who was arrested for praying silently in a controversial “buffer zones” case in Birmingham will today testify to Holyrood about her experience of being prosecuted for a “thoughtcrime”.
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was seen being arrested on a viral video last winter when she said she “might be praying inside [her] head”. She was charged with “engaging in an act that is intimidating to service users” within the buffer zone of an abortion clinic – despite the clinic having been closed.
She was later fully acquitted at Birmingham Magistrates Court after the prosecution could offer no evidence as to her thoughts.
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"After having to clear my name in court, I was rearrested two weeks later being told ‘my prayers were an offence’.. I’m concerned that this will end up happening in Scotland. Nobody should be punished for a “thoughtcrime” - yet this proposed legislation could easily allow that to happen."
Vaughan-Spruce is expected to address the parliamentary Committee on Health, Social Care and Sports with the following remarks:
“Since the implementation of the buffer zone in Birmingham, I have been arrested simply for standing silently near the closed abortion centre – the justification being that this was intimidating service users (I remind you it was closed, there were no service users). After having to clear my name in court I was rearrested two weeks later being told ‘my prayers were an offence’. I’m concerned that this will end up happening in Scotland. Nobody should be punished for a “thoughtcrime” – yet this proposed legislation could easily allow that to happen.
We are all against harassment. We already have laws to prohibit that and all pro-life leaders would willingly work with any authority to condemn harassment.
But buffer zones go much further than only banning harassment – and instead criminalise helpful charity work or even prayer. The buffer zone has created a huge amount of division in our area, and many locals tell me that they are now fearful to share their beliefs with their neighbours. The community has become polarised and the buffer zone has fostered intolerance. I wholly recommend that the Scottish government protect freedom of thought and of speech in Scotland, and promote tolerance rather than censorship.”
The architect of the “buffer zones” bill, Gillian McKay MSP of the Green Party, will also be a member of the parliamentary committee scrutinizing the bill and hearing testimonies from those impacted by it.
The bill has recieved criticism from free speech advocates, who raise concern that the vague and ambiguous language of the text could crack down on peaceful conversation and even thought.
“Scotland’s buffer zone bill is one of the most extensive crackdowns on pro-life thought and speech we’ve seen. As drafted, it could even ban prayer and peaceful pro-life speech within homes if they are situated sufficiently near an abortion facility. The proposal would also allow the 150m distance of the buffer zone to be expanded by local authorities to an unlimited extent. It is vital that the parliament take heed of the stories of Alina and Isabel, and uphold their duty to protect freedom of thought, offers of help, and consensual conversation,” said Lois McLatchie Miller, spokesperson for ADF UK in Scotland.
Mother helped by pro-life volunteers also to testify against censorial “buffer zones”
Also giving testimony to the committee today is Alina Dulgheriu, a mother who recieved help at her point of critical need outside an abortion facility in Ealing, London.
Dulgheriu credits pro-life volunteers with empowering her to make her wanted choice to continue her pregnancy despite financial and social pressures placed on her to abort.
Hear Alina’s story >>
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Dulgheriu has since established the “Be Here For Me” campaign, collecting testimonies of other women who have been positively impacted by the presence and services offered by charitable pro-life volunteers. Dulghieriu will call on the Scottish government to allow volunteers to continue the work that she views as “life-saving”.
“I didn’t want an abortion but I was abandoned by my partner, my friends and society. My financial situation at the time would have made raising a child very challenging. Thanks to the help I was offered by a group outside of a clinic before my appointment, my daughter is here today. Stopping people from offering much-needed services and resources for women in my situation is wrong. Let them help,” Alina Dulgheriu, spokesperson for Be Here For Me, commented on the implementation of censorial “buffer zones”.
"Thanks to the help I was offered by a group outside of a clinic before my appointment, my daughter is here today. Stopping people from offering much-needed services and resources for women in my situation is wrong. Let them help."
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Pictured: Isabel Vaughan-Spruce; Alina Dulgheriu
