A British court has ruled against a woman who was prohibited from praying outside an abortion business.
A British pro-life woman who was praying quietly outside an abortion facility said police told her to leave because her silent prayers could be considered “intimidation and harassment.” This week, with the help of lawyers at ADF International, Livia Tossici-Bolt filed a complaint against the Bournemouth police for violating her religious liberties and free speech.
But today the court ruled against her.
“Everyone has the freedom to pray quietly in a public place. I would never dream of doing something that causes intimidation and harassment,” she said in a statement. “Yet nevertheless, these prayer-patrol officers tried to intimidate us out of exercising our freedom of thought and of expression – in the form of prayer – which has been a foundational part of our society for generations.”
Earlier this fall, Tossici-Bolt said she and a friend were praying silently on the public street near an abortion facility in Bournemouth, England, when two Community Safety Accredited Officers approached them. She said she and her friend were standing outside the buffer zone, an area around the abortion facility where the city restricts free speech.
Even though they were being peaceful and law-abiding, Tossici-Bolt said the officers accused them of “intimidation and harassment” and told them to leave.
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Tossici-Bolt went to court to fight the local abortion buffer zone, implemented through the use of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which criminalises offers of help as well as prayer outside an abortion clinic. She challenged on the grounds that it restricts otherwise lawful activity within private dwellings.
But today the High Court dismissed her case against the law that silenced her.
In their written ruling on Friday, Lord Justice Warby and Mrs Justice Thornton said the council had “lawfully followed the democratic and consultative procedures” when it made the order.
The judges said any interference with the human rights of the campaigners was justified by the “legitimate aim” of protecting the rights of women using the clinic.
They said: “To the extent that the order interferes with the human rights of the first claimant and those of non-parties on which she has relied in support of her claim, the interference is justified by the legitimate aim of protecting the rights of women attending the clinic, their associates and the staff.
“Both claims are dismissed.”
The pro-life legal group Christian Concern said it will appeal the ruling.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “The measures brought in by [BCP Council] are disturbing in that they prevent women from being given access to alternatives to abortion. Peaceful witness near abortion centres are helpful to many women in crisis pregnancies, offering genuine choice by providing support”.
She argued there is “no evidence whatsoever to show that anyone is being harassed outside abortion clinics”.
The buffer zone in Bournemouth has been in operation since October last year, and establishes a zone in which “engaging in an act of approval/disapproval… with respect to issues related to abortion services” is prohibited. The zone prohibits offers of help and explicitly forbids prayer.
Ahead of the hearing, Miss Tossici-Bolt said “I find [it] extremely concerning that unfounded accusations of such reprehensible behaviour have been used for ideological gains to discredit genuine humanitarian endeavours. We have already been intimidated out of exercising our freedom of thought and of expression, but have continued to defend these fundamental rights with a peaceful conduct”.
“Vigils are there to serve women and couples in a pregnancy crisis, with information that opens new possibilities to them, therefore enabling them to make a true choice when, often, they believed they had none. We also believe our presence on the ground is vital to women who might have been brought to the BPAS facility under coercion…”.
“Silent prayer, within itself, is not unlawful.”
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