Woman arrested for silently praying near abortion clinic

[Ari]

I tried to find a BBC link to this, but strangely nothing on there, so this will have to do.

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2022/december/u...

A charity volunteer in the United Kingdom was arrested after she told the police she "might" be praying silently when questioned as to why she was standing on a public street near an abortion facility.

There must be more to this story surely?

[ZedLeg]

Almost certainly, the Scottish government is looking at legislation to keep these ghouls away from the doorways of clinics.

[Kes Arevo]

Considering it was filmed, there doesn't seem to be anything else.

It's literally a thought crime.

It's fking absurd, and everybody should be condemning this whole heartedly. This should be a massive issue.

People will defend it, though.

[Al Gorithum]

She could have stayed at home to pray but no, seems to have felt the need to intimidate or persuade pregnant women to not abort.

Keep your religious ste to yourself.

[Kes Arevo]

Intimidate?

She's just stood on a public street.

[Evanivitch]

Kes Arevo said:

It's literally a thought crime.

It's not. It was a passive protest at that specific location that she knew full well was an abortion clinic. It's the same as any protestors sitting on a pedestrian crossing.

Surely the great thing about an omnipresent god is the ability to stay at home and not bother anyone with your prayers?

[Rufus Stone]

Kes Arevo said:

Intimidate?

She's just stood on a public street.

Perhaps the way she looked disapprovingly at them.

[Kes Arevo]

Evanivitch said:

It's not. It was a passive protest at that specific location that she knew full well was an abortion clinic. It's the same as any protestors sitting on a pedestrian crossing.

Surely the great thing about an omnipresent god is the ability to stay at home and not bother anyone with your prayers?

It's nothing like sitting on a zebra crossing blocking traffic.

Blocking no-one, speaking to no-one, holding no signs, literally just thinking.

It's a thought crime.

[Kes Arevo]

Rufus Stone said:

Perhaps the way she looked disapprovingly at them.

Gasp

[Evanivitch]

Kes Arevo said:

Intimidate?

She's just stood on a public street.

So why was she at that specific location then?

[Kes Arevo]

Evanivitch said:

So why was she at that specific location then?

Could not care less.

If she had signs, was talking to people, was blocking them, and so on, have at it.

She wasn't. She was literally just stood there, on a public street, doing nothing but thinking, and you want her arrested?

Yes?

[bitchstewie]

I didn't know they had public space protection orders around abortion clinics.

In that context it seems pretty clear that they're trying to discourage people from intimidating or harassing people using those services.

I guess we're now in for pages of people suggesting that kind of thing is absolutely fine.

[Rufus Stone]

Evanivitch said:

So why was she at that specific location then?

Maybe paying her respects to what she considers the deceased.

[Kes Arevo]

CheesecakeRunner said:

Bet she won’t be stood silent praying in her head when the next woman arrives for her appointment at the clinic. She’s trying to deny other woman their legal rights. fk her.

Is that what she was arrested for?

[RogerDodgerSuperTodger]

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, 45, charged with breaching exclusion zone near abortion clinic

Some more local press, 4 charges apparently.

She heads up a group called ‘40 Days for Life Birmingham’.

[Rufus Stone]

CheesecakeRunner said:

Bet she won’t be stood silent praying in her head when the next woman arrives for her appointment at the clinic. She’s trying to deny other woman their legal rights. fk her.

Minority Report then.

[ZedLeg]

It says very clearly what she was charged with in that Birmingham live link, I see zero issue with the decision. If you want to pray for all the poor sinful women, do it at home.

[RogerDodgerSuperTodger]

bhstewie said:

I didn't know they had public space protection orders around abortion clinics.

In that context it seems pretty clear that they're trying to discourage people from intimidating or harassing people using those services.

Given shes involved in a couple of organisations and is therefore pretty heavy invested in this I expect she is looking for attention. Which of course she’s getting (more sympathetic in the US for expected reasons).

bhstewie said:

I guess we're now in for pages of people suggesting that kind of thing is absolutely fine.

I have no doubt!

[Rufus Stone]

RogerDodgerSuperTodger said:

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, 45, charged with breaching exclusion zone near abortion clinic

Some more local press, 4 charges apparently.

She heads up a group called ‘40 Days for Life Birmingham’.

Are there signs on the pavement stating the exclusion zone?

[vixen1700]

Totally support women's right to their own body autonomy and to be free to visit abortion clinics without fear of anti-abortion activists.

But it's a slippery slope arresting anybody for just standing there silently, praying or not.