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Christian volunteer receives £13,000 payout and an apology from police after being arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic - as Labour prepares total ban
The Daily Mail ^ | 19 Aug 2024 | MEGAN HOWE

Posted on 04/05/2025 6:05:25 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican

A Christian charity volunteer has been awarded a £13,000 payout and an apology from police after being arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce issued a claim against West Midlands Police for two wrongful arrests and false imprisonments; assault and battery in relation to an intrusive search of her person; and for a breach of her human rights in 2022 and 2023. Ms Vaughan-Spruce was first arrested in November 2022 for praying in a 'buffer zone' outside the BPAS Robert Clinic in Kings Norton, Birmingham.

Just weeks after she was found not guilty by Birmingham Magistrates Court, she was arrested a second time for silently praying outside the same clinic in February 2023.

Officers from West Midlands Police told her at the time that 'engaging in prayer' was 'the offence' after she insisted she was 'not protesting'.

But Police later said 'there will be no further investigation' into the incident and apologised to her.

Now, Ms Vaughan-Spruce, who is the director of anti-abortion group March for Life UK, has received a £13,000 payout after pursuing a claim against West Midlands Police.

It comes just days after reports the Government is considering formally criminalising silent prayer outside abortion clinics, with new legislation set to come into force.

Lord Frost, a former Conservative cabinet minister, has said that if the reports are correct, 'then not just freedom of speech, but freedom of thought will be under threat'.

Speaking about Ms Vaughan-Spruce's case, Lord Frost said: 'It is incredible that people have been arrested for thoughtcrime in modern Britain. I am very glad Ms Vaughan-Spruce has received compensation for her unjust arrest for this so-called offence.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Religion; Society
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1 posted on 04/05/2025 6:05:25 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican
I recall reading that a woman who was also silently praying near an abortion “clinic” was similarly arrested in England not long ago.
2 posted on 04/05/2025 6:10:52 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Import The Third World,Become The Third World)
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To: MinorityRepublican

if they are praying silently how do the police know what they are praying FOR? It is complete bs.


3 posted on 04/05/2025 6:13:49 AM PDT by ronniesgal ( so is it okay that I said that??? GO TRUMP GO!!!!)
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To: ronniesgal

Exactly.


4 posted on 04/05/2025 6:16:15 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: Gay State Conservative

That should make everyone who hears about that angry, heartbroken and terrified.


5 posted on 04/05/2025 6:17:04 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Wherever the UK goes the rest of the West follows into the abyss of death and destruction.

Perfidious Albion alert!


6 posted on 04/05/2025 6:19:18 AM PDT by Tom Tetroxide (Psalm 146:3 "Do not trust in princes, in the Son of Man, who has no salvation.")
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To: MinorityRepublican

I wonder what they would do if a Muslim heard the call to prayer while passing an abortion clinic and responded accordingly.


7 posted on 04/05/2025 6:22:57 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If Hitler were alive today and criticized Trump, would he still be Hitler?)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Non of th3 Christians arrested for praying outside abortion clinics in the US will be awarded any monies! Sad that a eurowinie nation recognized that they violated his rights, but our nation, supposedly one of the freest on earth, violates rights without apology


8 posted on 04/05/2025 6:30:03 AM PDT by Bob434 (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Labour the new UK Communist Party


9 posted on 04/05/2025 6:43:32 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: ronniesgal

if they are praying silently how do the police know what they are praying FOR? It is complete bs.

><

I saw a video of her after it happened. She was questioned by a police officer, and she would not deny she was praying. The officer, had apparently nothing better to do than to arrest a praying lady.


10 posted on 04/05/2025 6:52:39 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: No name given

Yep. Thought Police. They magically know what you’re thinking. And if what you’re thinking is a crime, off you go. Right out of the dystopian novels I read as a young man. Horrifying. England is in a very, very dark place right now, as it ‘transitions’ to a Muslim nation.


11 posted on 04/05/2025 6:55:36 AM PDT by drwoof
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To: MinorityRepublican

Sounds like it’s getting to the point where if you’re near an aborton clinic you must walk in for treatment. If you don’t, you must be protesting. /s


12 posted on 04/05/2025 7:01:41 AM PDT by ken in texas
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To: MinorityRepublican

It comes just days after reports the Government is considering formally criminalising silent prayer outside abortion clinics, with new legislation set to come into force.


another law......................


13 posted on 04/05/2025 7:07:38 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued, but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere)
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To: ronniesgal

They don’t have to know what they’re praying for. It’s whom they’re praying to. If they had a prayer rug and pointed to Mecca they’d be free to pray all they want.


14 posted on 04/05/2025 7:08:28 AM PDT by packagingguy
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To: MinorityRepublican

It seems to me that in the UK the state is almost formalizing death worship in a religious sense.

At what point is it going to start to resemble blood sacrifice to the Gods? It’s getting close.


15 posted on 04/05/2025 7:09:06 AM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s, you weren't really there)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Tarrif and sanction the living daylights out of those Orwellian governments.


16 posted on 04/05/2025 7:29:10 AM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The dawn cracks hard like a bull whip and it ain't taking no lip from the night before" Tom Waits)
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To: AppyPappy
I wonder what they would do if a Muslim heard the call to prayer while passing an abortion clinic and responded accordingly.

I suspect there would be a deafening silence from the UK police.

17 posted on 04/05/2025 8:09:53 AM PDT by libertylover (Our biggest problem, by far, is that almost all of big media is AGENDA-DRIVEN, not-truth driven.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Good.


18 posted on 04/05/2025 8:11:49 AM PDT by stevio (Fight until you die!)
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To: PeterPrinciple

So the Brits start praying that there MP has a coronary & the stupid sod has to resign for health reasons😄.


19 posted on 04/05/2025 8:52:58 AM PDT by Nebr FAL owner (Treason is the reason for Democrat Sedition & subvertion )
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To: MinorityRepublican

An apology from police? BS. fire that cop forever.


20 posted on 04/05/2025 10:28:03 AM PDT by DPMD
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