{"id":21135,"date":"2023-09-22T11:55:05","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T11:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adf.uk\/?p=11820"},"modified":"2024-01-26T13:23:56","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T12:23:56","slug":"vindication-silent-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/vindication-silent-prayer","title":{"rendered":"VINDICATION for woman arrested for silent prayer as police drop six month investigation without charge"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\" data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ADF_UK\/status\/1632820479131099136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1632820479131099136%7Ctwgr%5E6d14d642b689811d36b124b1c080edd705e4733c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fadf.uk%2Fisabel-arrested-again%2F\">VIDEO<\/a>: Arresting Isabel Vaughan-Spruce in February, West Midlands Police state: <\/span><\/b><b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cYou\u2019ve said you\u2019ve been engaging in prayer, which is the offence\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/b><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\" data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Police APOLOGISE for lengthy process; case closure comes shortly after clarification from Home Secretary: <\/span><\/b><b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cSilent prayer\u201d is \u201cnot unlawful\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\" data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ADF UK supports legal defense of Vaughan-Spruce and others facing prosecution for silent prayer\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">BIRMINGHAM (22 September 2023) &#8211; <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Following a six-month investigation,<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">West Midlands Police have confirmed that they will not bring charges against Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, issuing an apology for the length of time to reach the decision not to prosecute her for silent prayer.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The charitable volunteer was arrested for praying in a \u201cbuffer zone\u201d surrounding an abortion facility on Station Road, Birmingham, on 6<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> March. The censorship zone, introduced by local authorities via a \u201cPublic Spaces Protection Order,\u201d bans prayer, amongst other activities considered to constitute protest against abortion. The full text <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.birmingham.gov.uk\/downloads\/file\/24121\/robert_clinic_station_road_b30\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">available here<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The arrest caught worldwide attention in a viral video, in which police accused Vaughan-Spruce of committing an offence by silently praying in her own mind: <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cyou\u2019ve said you\u2019ve been engaging in prayer, which is the offence\u201d.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udea8BREAKING: Isabel has been arrested, AGAIN, for THINKING.<\/p>\n<p>MPs vote TOMORROW on banning silent prayer near all abortion facilities in\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f&amp;\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve said you&#8217;re engaging in prayer, which is the offense.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8220;Silent prayer.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8220;You were still engaging in prayer, which is the offense.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AId3OguiXz\">pic.twitter.com\/AId3OguiXz<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ADF UK (@ADF_UK) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ADF_UK\/status\/1632820479131099136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 6, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This isn\u2019t 1984, but 2023 &#8211; I should never have been arrested or investigated simply for the thoughts I held in my own mind. Silent prayer is never criminal. I welcome West Midland Police\u2019s decision to end their investigation and their apology for the time it took to do so, but it\u2019s important to highlight the extremely harmful implications of this ordeal not just for myself, but for everyone concerned with fundamental freedoms in the UK. 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,\u201d <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">commented Isabel Vaughan-Spruce upon receiving the apology from West Midlands Police.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cNow that authorities have twice settled on the conclusion that silent prayer is not a crime \u2013 a conclusion also reached by the Home Secretary last week \u2013 I am thankful to resume my practice of praying silently for women in crisis pregnancies,\u201d <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">continued Vaughan-Spruce.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Government to rollout \u201cbuffer zones\u201d<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The decision from the police not to prosecute Vaughan-Spruce for her silent prayer comes amidst pending government plans to implement similar censorial \u201cbuffer zones\u201d around abortion facilities across the country. The Public Order Act, which passed through Parliament in May 2023, would prohibit \u201cinfluence\u201d in an area of 150m around abortion facilities. Free speech advocates have raised concerns that such vague terminology will criminalise not only harassment, but peaceful conversations, leafleting, and prayer. An amendment to explicitly protect silent prayer and consensual conversations within the censorship zones was proposed by Andrew Lewer MP, but failed to pass after a vote of 116 to 299.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">On 2<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">nd<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> September, Home Secretary Suella Braverman published an <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SuellaBraverman\/status\/1697905696145092684\">open letter,<\/a> directing police to avoid politicised policing. The letter clarifies \u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">silent prayer, within itself, is not unlawful\u201d <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and that, <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cholding lawful opinions, even if those opinions may offend others, is not a criminal offence.\u201d <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">4 in 10 Brits believe police are more interested in \u2018wokeness\u2019 than catching criminals, according to a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.co.uk\/article\/majority-believe-police-dont-take-crime-seriously-enough-576qlrd7v\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">survey<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\"> carried out by Public First.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201c<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">The arduous process of this criminal ordeal has been the punishment for Isabel. Moreover, her story has put the world on notice that fundamental freedoms are vulnerable in the UK<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u201d commented Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF UK, who supported Vaughan-Spruce&#8217;s legal defence.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThere is now an urgent need for legal changes to stem the tide of policing by politics. We hope the decision from West Midlands Police that they will not prosecute free thought, alongside the Home Secretary\u2019s public commitment to protecting silent prayer, will be reflected in legislation, guidance, and practice<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u201d added Igunnubole. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">CPS contradict West Midands Police\u2019s misleading reason for drawn-out investigation<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">West Midlands Police <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">has <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">now issued an apology for the time taken to close Isabel\u2019s case, confirming that <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cthere will be no further investigation into the alleged matter, and there will be no further action taken\u201d<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the police <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">force<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> failed to explain why they<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> initially<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> informed <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Vaughan-Spruce<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that the delay was a result of the matter being referred to the Crown Prosecution Service <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">(CPS)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to consider charges \u2013 <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a claim which the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">CPS has firmly denied.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In response to an FOI request<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> CPS confirmed that they <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">h<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">o<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ld<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> no<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> information\u201d<\/span><\/i> <i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">concerning <\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a second case being referred to them for a charging decision <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and that <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cthe police should not submit a case to the CPS for charging advice when they have the power to make the charging decision themselves\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, as was the case for <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Vaughan<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">&#8211;<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Spruce\u2019s<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> alleged <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">offense<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With support from ADF UK, Vaughan-Spruce is currently considering options to pursue redress for her treatment at the hands of the police.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Meanwhile in Dorset, a father and Afghanistan veteran awaits trial for committing the same act of silent prayer inside a censorial \u201cbuffer zone\u201d in Bournemouth.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Adam Smith-Connor, who has been charged for praying in the zone about his own experience of abortion and for the men and women facing difficult decisions about the issue today, will appear at Poole Magistrates Court in November. ADF UK are supporting his legal defence. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/adf.uk\/support-adam\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Find out more<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Police APOLOGISE for lengthy process; case closure comes shortly after clarification from Home Secretary: \u201cSilent prayer\u201d is \u201cnot unlawful\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":11657,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[736],"tags":[899,944,898],"class_list":["post-21135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-free-speech-en-gb","tag-isabel-en-gb","tag-uk-en-gb"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>VINDICATION for woman arrested for silent prayer as police drop six month investigation without charge - ADF International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Police APOLOGISE for lengthy process; case closure comes shortly after clarification from Home Secretary: \u201cSilent prayer\u201d is \u201cnot unlawful\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/vindication-silent-prayer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"VINDICATION for woman arrested for silent prayer as police drop six month investigation without charge\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Police APOLOGISE for lengthy process; case closure comes shortly after clarification from Home Secretary: \u201cSilent prayer\u201d is \u201cnot unlawful\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/vindication-silent-prayer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ADF International\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/adfinternational\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-09-22T11:55:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-01-26T12:23:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Philipp Bues\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"VINDICATION for woman arrested for silent prayer as police drop six month investigation without charge\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Police APOLOGISE for lengthy process; 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