U.S. State Department condemns "buffer zones" outside U.K. abortion clinics as assault on free speech and religious liberty

By ramontomeydw // 2025-08-27

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The U.S. State Department issued a strong rebuke against U.K. policies enforcing "buffer zones" around abortion clinics, where silent prayer and peaceful outreach have led to arrests, fines and prosecutions. Officials warn these policies undermine fundamental Western freedoms.
Cases include a retired NHS scientist fined £20,000 for holding a sign offering conversation, an army veteran fined £9,000 for silent prayer and a 75-year-old woman arrested for standing with a supportive sign (charges later dropped after U.S. intervention).
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance highlighted reports that Scottish authorities warned residents against praying inside their own homes if located within buffer zones, invoking Orwellian "thoughtcrime" concerns.
British PM Keir Starmer insists free speech remains intact, but the State Department's 2024 Human Rights Report documents "serious restrictions on freedom of expression." Legal experts argue the U.K. has abandoned its tradition of liberty by criminalizing silent prayer.
While the U.S. First Amendment protects peaceful expression, the U.K.'s crackdown sets a dangerous precedent where even thought is policed under the guise of preventing "harassment." Critics warn this signals a broader erosion of civil liberties worldwide.

The U.S. Department of State has issued its strongest rebuke yet of the United Kingdom's enforcement of "buffer zones" around abortion clinics – where silent prayer and peaceful outreach have led to arrests, fines and prosecutions. Buffer zone policies prohibit certain forms of expression – including consensual conversation and even private prayer – within 150 meters of abortion facilities in England and Wales, and 200 meters in Scotland. They have nevertheless drawn sharp criticism from American officials, who warn that it undermines fundamental freedoms long considered pillars of Western democracy. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine, "buffer zones are being established outside abortion clinics in the U.K. to prevent harassment and intimidation of patients and staff by anti-abortion protesters." But crackdowns for violating these policies have seen elderly volunteers, military veterans and devout Christians targeted. This has raised urgent questions about the erosion of civil liberties in a nation once revered for its legal traditions. (Related: British Labour government to ban "silent prayer" near abortion clinics.) A spokesperson for the State Department, who refused to be identified, issued Washington's statement to The Telegraph. They called Downing Street's actions an "egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty." The spokesperson reiterated that "it is common sense that standing silently and offering consensual conversation does not constitute harm," warning that condemnation of such practices signal a "concerning departure from the shared values" between Washington and London. The comment follows multiple high-profile cases, including that of Livia Tossici-Bolt. The retired scientist with the British National Health Service was fined £20,026 ($26,946) for holding a sign reading "Here to talk if you want to." Meanwhile, army veteran Adam Smith-Connor was ordered to pay £9,000 ($12,110) for silently praying near a clinic. In Scotland, 75-year-old Rose Docherty was arrested for standing outside a hospital with a sign offering support. However, charges against her were dropped following U.S. intervention.

How silent prayer landed citizens in handcuffs

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance mentioned these concerns at the Munich Security Conference in Germany back in February. He cited reports that Scottish authorities had warned residents against private prayer inside their own homes if located within designated zones. "Naturally, the government urged readers to report any fellow citizens suspected guilty of thoughtcrime," Vance remarked at the time, invoking Orwellian imagery. "Free speech, I fear, is in retreat." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, confronted by Vance during a White House visit in February, insisted free speech remains intact in Britain. However, the latest edition of the State Department's Human Rights Report published on Aug. 12 – which documented "credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression" – contradicted Starmer's claim. Legal experts like Lorcan Price of Alliance Defending Freedom International argue the U.K. has abandoned its heritage of liberty. "The treatment of individuals for the false 'crimes' of praying silently shows how far the country has strayed," he said. Critics of the buffer zones, including affected volunteers, stress they are not protesting but offering support. But the British Pregnancy Advisory Service and other abortion providers dismiss these arguments, claiming that such support "deters women" and causes "significant harm." The clash reflects a broader global trend where speech restrictions, often justified as protecting vulnerable groups, increasingly criminalize dissent. Historically, the First Amendment has shielded similar expression in the United States. But the U.K.'s trajectory, where thought itself is policed, suggests a darker precedent. For now, the message from Washington is clear: When silent prayer becomes a crime, freedom is already in retreat. Watch this Sky News Australia report about U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance defending Adam Smith-Connor during the 2025 Munich Security Conference. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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How silent prayer landed citizens in handcuffs

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