Pro-life activist wins settlement after arrest for silent prayer

Aug 21

Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

A pro-life activist in the United Kingdom has won a legal victory and a financial settlement after being arrested for silently praying outside an abortion clinic. The arrest raised concerns about freedom of speech and religious expression for those opposing abortion.

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Isabel Vaughan-Spruce received a settlement of nearly $17,000 from the West Midlands Police. The payment follows what Vaughan-Spruce’s legal team described as acknowledgement of “unjust treatment” by law enforcement.

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Vaughan-Spruce was first arrested in December 2022 after standing near an abortion clinic, which police said violated a public space protection order. The order bans protests within a certain distance of abortion facilities, including any act of approval or disapproval related to abortion. That order includes silent prayer.

Religious freedom groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom UK, call the settlement a positive step. They do, however, still warn that the situation highlights a growing crisis around free speech and thought in the U.K.

While this case has been resolved with a settlement, concerns remain over the rights of those opposing abortion, and how they can be protected under the PSPO laws.

As the government prepares to roll out these buffer zones, many are watching closely, to see how the laws pertain to peaceful protest.

In response to the settlement, Vaughan-Spruce expressed relief, but also concern. She said, “Silent prayer is not a crime. Nobody should be arrested merely for the thoughts they have in their heads.”

Tags: Abortion, Catholic Church, Free Speech, Lawsuit, Settlements, United Kingdom

Lauren Taylor

A PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS WON A LEGAL VICTORY AND FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT AFTER BEING ARRESTED FOR SILENTLY PRAYING OUTSIDE AN ABORTION CLINIC. BUT THE CASE IS RAISING NEW CONCERNS ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION FOR THOSE WHO OPPOSE ABORTION.

ISABEL VAUGN-SPRUCE, RECEIVED A nearly 17-thousand-dollar SETTLEMENT from WEST MIDLANDS POLICE. THE PAYMENT FOLLOWS WHAT VAUGHAN-SPRUCE’S LEGAL TEAM CALLED AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF “UNJUST TREATMENT” BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

VAUGHAN-SPRUCE WAS FIRST ARREST IN DECEMBER 2022 AFTER STANDING NEAR AN ABORTION CLINIC IN WHAT POLICE DESCRIBED AS A VIOLATION OF A PUBLIC SPACE PROTECTION ORDER. THE ORDER BANS PROTEST WITHIN A CERTAIN DISTANCE OF ABORTION FACILITIES, INCLUDING ANY ACT OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL RELATED TO ABORTION, EVEN SILENT PRAYER.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ADVOCATES ARE CALLING THE SETTLEMENT A POSITIVE STEP, BUT WARN THE SITUATION HIGHLIGHTS A GROWING CRISIS AROUND FREE SPEECH AND THOUGHT IN THE UK.

WHILE VAUGHAN-SPRUCE’S CASE HAS BEEN RESOLVED, CONCERNS REMAIN ABOUT HOW THE RIGHTS OF THOSE OPPOSING ABORTION WILL BE PROTECTED UNDER THE NEW LAW. AS THE GOVERNMENT PREPARES TO ROLL OUT THESE BUFFER ZONES, MANY ARE WATCHING CLOSELY TO SEE IF THE RIGHT TO PEACEFUL PROTEST, AND EVEN SILENT PRAYER, WILL CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGED IN THE UK.

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IN RESPONSE TO THE SETTLEMENT, VAUGHAN-SPRUCE EXPRESSED RELIEF BUT ALSO CONCERN. SHE SAID, “”SILENT PRAYER IS NOT A CRIME. NOBODY SHOULD BE ARRESTED MERELY FOR THE THOUGHTS THEY HAVE IN THEIR HEADS.”