Police Apologize To Woman Arrested For Praying Abortion Clinic

Police Apologize To Woman Arrested For Praying Abortion Clinic

Police Apologize To Woman Arrested For Praying Abortion Clinic: Nearly a year after her pro-life activism by the name of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce put her in legal trouble, the British police have chosen not to file charges against a pro-life activist who prayed in silence outside an abortion clinic.

Vaughan-Spruce was detained twice for silently praying outside the Robert Clinic in Birmingham. Police claimed that her actions violated a Public Space Protection Order that had just been put into place by the city, but West Midlands Police in Birmingham, England, reportedly won’t pursue charges against her and have expressed their regret. The legal firm ADF UK released a report on Friday.

Additionally, the police promised that “there will be no further investigation into the alleged matter, and there will be no further action taken.”

Vaughan-Spruce reacted to the development by declaring, “I welcome West Midlands Police’s decision to end their investigation and their apology for the time it took to do so, but it’s important to highlight the extremely harmful implications of this ordeal, not just for myself but for everyone concerned.”

She added, “What happened to me signals to others that they, too, could face arrest, interrogation, investigation, and potential prosecution if caught exercising their basic freedom of thought.”

“Now that authorities have twice settled on the conclusion that silent prayer is not a crime — a conclusion also reached by the Home Secretary last week — I am thankful to resume my practice of praying silently for women in crisis pregnancies,” she added.

As both Vaughan-Spruce and Igunnubole indicated in their comments, U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman penned a letter earlier this month asserting that “silent prayer, within itself, is not unlawful” and that “holding lawful opinions … is not a criminal offense.”