Father Sean Gough of the Archdiocese of Birmingham was arrested for praying silently outside an abortion centre, while it was closed. The police produced no evidence at the trial and thus Father was found not guilty. But the story does not end there. On Tuesday the 7th of March MPs will vote on the Public Order Bill. This bill contains a clause introduced by Stella Creasy MP to introduce buffer zones around all abortion centres across England and Wales, those breaking the buffer zone rules would face a fine of an unlimited amount.
Some Lords and MPs had expressed their concerns that banning and criminalising silent prayer was a step too far. Now, because Fr Gough was given a ‘not guilty’ verdict, MPs voting on Tuesday will be under the impression that voting to bring in a national buffer zone will not result in Priests and lay people being arrested for praying silently.
But the police had clear evidence that he was praying (the sign he was carrying said so) and they did not present it in court. If it had been presented, he may well have been found guilty just for praying silently. It is very possible that with the introduction of a national buffer zone silent prayer may still become illegal outside every abortion centre in the country – even when they are closed.
Please contact your MP today in writing to ask them to vote against a national buffer zone if possible and against the bill in its entirety if the clause bringing this in is not dropped.
If you don’t understand why we want to pray at abortion centres, please watch this one minute video testimony of Theresa, a mother we have been blessed to help.
Please join us in praying and fasting for the protection of those brave people who spend many, many hours in all sorts of weather praying outside abortion centres and offering women real hope, real alternatives and real support at the very last moment.
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