British woman arrested for silently praying outside abortion clinic, faces criminal charges

A British pro-life activist is facing criminal charges for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham.

Isabel Vaughn-Spruce, the director of March for Life UK, was arrested outside the BPAS Robert Clinic in Kings Norton, Birmingham, on Dec. 6. Last Thursday, she was charged with four counts of violating a Public Space Protection Order.

According to ADF International, a legal nonprofit handling her case, authorities were tipped off by an onlooker who said Vaughn-Spruce was outside the clinic on three occasions while it was closed. Vaughn-Spruce wasn’t carrying any signs or placards.

At the police station, law enforcement officials presented Vaughn-Spruce with pictures of herself outside the abortion clinic and inquired whether she was praying. She responded by asserting that while she “might” have been praying in some of the pictures, she also could have been thinking about other topics, such as her lunch.