20 articles
A Christian woman criminally charged because she “stood outside” an abortion facility in Birmingham and silently prayed appeared in court for a first hearing today and plead ‘not guilty’. The post Christian woman criminally charged for silent prayer pleads ‘not guilty’ in first hearing appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Charitable volunteer Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who was previously cleared in court and received a payout from police for being unjustly arrested twice for her silent prayers, has been criminally charged again Vaughan-Spruce will appear in court 29th January, supported by ADF International BIRMINGHAM (17 December 2025) – West Midlands Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have criminally charged Isabel Vaughan-Spruce because she “stood outside” an abortion facility, where “influence” is prohibited. The charitable volunteer has been under investigation since […] The post UK: Christian woman crim
Read →State Department issues a further condemnation of Britain’s “egregious” buffer zones, warning of a “concerning departure” from shared UK-US values Birmingham Christian Isabel Vaughan-Spruce is back under investigation for silently praying near an abortion facility WASHINGTON, D.C. / LONDON (19 August 2025) – The United States has issued its strongest warning yet to the UK over so-called “buffer zones”, which have […] The post U.S. State Department Doubles Down on Warning to UK: “Buffer Zones” are an “Egregious Violation” of Free Speech appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Washington voices support after authorities back down from prosecuting grandmother arrested under Scotland’s “buffer zone” law Rose Docherty, 75, held a sign reading “coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want” https://adfinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/x-downloader.com_nDtvSF.mp4 GLASGOW (18 August 2025) – The United States Department of State has welcomed Scotland’s decision to drop legal action against 75-year-old grandmother […] The post U.S. State Department Applauds Scotland’s Decision to Drop Case Against Pro-Life Grandmother Rose Dov appeared first on Alliance Def
Read →Procurator Fiscal withdraws warning, confirms Rose Docherty will not be charged for offering consensual, peaceful conversation inside abortion “buffer zone” in Glasgow Docherty held a sign reading “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, if you want” – ADF International co-ordinated her legal defence https://adfinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/x-downloader.com_nDtvSF.mp4 GLASGOW (14 August 2025) – In a win for freedom […] The post Prosecutor Backs Down in Case Against Scottish Grandmother in Major Free Speech Victory appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Feature premiere of timely documentary highlights erosion of freedom of expression in Britain, including through recent prosecutions of citizens who have silently prayed near abortion facilities NYT Bestselling author Rod Dreher, film writer/director Isaiah Smallman, and victims of state censorship including Adam Smith-Connor (convicted for silent prayer) to attend black tie evening on Monday 30th […] The post U.K. Premiere of “Live Not By Lies” Shines Spotlight on Erosion of Freedom in the West appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →LONDON – (20 June 2025) UK MPs today voted by a majority of 23 to legalise assisted suicide. Reacting to this news, Robert Clarke, Director of Advocacy for ADF International, said: “Today’s vote to approve the Leadbeater Bill on assisted suicide—314 to 291—is a grave and chilling development for the United Kingdom. Parliament has signaled […] The post STATEMENT: UK MPs vote to legalise assisted suicide appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →BOURNEMOUTH (6th March 2025) – The criminal trial of Livia Tossici-Bolt, the retired medical scientist who held a “here to talk, if you want” sign in an abortion “buffer zone”, began yesterday and will continue today. Tossici-Bolt, 63, is accused of breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which installs a “buffer zone” around a […] The post Buffer zone trial: Officers admit they did not “personally witness” any “harassment” before Christian woman fined for holding “here to talk” sign appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Livia Tossici-Bolt held a sign reading “Here to talk, if you want” near an abortion facility in Bournemouth Retired medical scientist to face trial 5th -6th MARCH; ADF UK supports legal defence U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance raises repeated concerns about the UK’s “buffer zone” laws – “these ideas are going to destroy Western civilisation” BOURNEMOUTH […] The post TODAY: Dorset retiree to face trial for offering a conversation in abortion “buffer zone” appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →DUNDEE (28 February 2025) - A midwifery student and mother of three resident in Scotland but from the USA was suspended from her training placement with NHS Fife over comments on a private Facebook forum explaining her conscientious objection to performing abortions. “It is concerning that an NHS health board would be reluctant to welcome a […] The post Scottish health authority suspend American midwifery student over pro-life Facebook posts appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →UK faces mounting backlash against silent prayer prosecutions as a result of abortion “buffer zones” J.D. Vance highlights “infringements on free speech” during Starmer’s trip to Washington https://adfinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GOVE.mp4 Rt. Hon. Michael Gove speaking to Chopper’s Political Podcast on GB News. Clip begins 29:52, full episode available here. LONDON (28th February 2025) – Speaking to Christopher […] The post GOVE: “It is wrong to say that someone cannot pray silently” appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →U.S. President J.D. Vance has called out UK authorities for prosecuting an army veteran for his silent prayers near an abortion facility Smith-Connor “overwhelmingly thankful” for support from the Vice President as he prepares to appeal his conviction in July, with support from ADF International MUNICH (14 February 2025) – “Free speech, I fear, is in […] The post U.S. Vice President Vance: “Concerning” British silent prayer conviction shows free speech is “in retreat” appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Livia Tossici-Bolt held a sign reading “Here to talk, if you want to” near an abortion facility in Bournemouth Retired medical scientist to face trial 5th -6th MARCH; ADF UK supports legal defence Christians raise concerns about “two-tier policing” BOURNEMOUTH (6 February 2025) – A retired medical scientist from Bournemouth will face trial on 6th […] The post Dorset retiree faces trial for offering a conversation, amidst fears over “two-tier policing” appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Home Office’s comments “run contrary to the lived experience of countless everyday British people”, says Isabel Vaughan-Spruce A Dorset retiree will similarly face trial in March for holding a sign reading “here to talk, if you want” in abortion “buffer zone” LONDON (28th January 2025) – A leaked Home Office counter-extremism dossier says that “claims of ‘two-tier’ […] The post Woman arrested for silent prayer responds to Home Office dismissal of “two-tier policing” appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Influential committee makes intervention on alarming state of free speech in UK and Europe Abortion centre ‘buffer zones’ and Online Safety Act in UK criticised LONDON (22 November 2024) – An influential US congressional committee has criticised abortion centre “buffer zones” and the Online Safety Act in the UK as part of a “tsunami of […] The post ‘Tsunami of censorship’: US congressional committee criticises UK’s abortion centre ‘buffer zones’ and online censorship appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →With legal support from ADF UK, Adam Smith-Connor will pursue an appeal against his conviction for praying silently in a “buffer zone” CPS guidance on prosecuting “buffer zone” breaches requires evidence of “overt” activity “Buffer zones” enacted TODAY around every abortion facility in England & Wales LONDON (31 October 2024) – As the Crown Prosecution […] The post Army veteran confirms APPEAL as Crown Prosecution Service concede silent prayer “not necessarily” an offence appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Public letter to PM pleads: “act urgently to ensure that thought is never buffered, censored or criminalised.” Army veteran convicted for silently praying near abortion facility last week Government set to roll out censorial “buffer zones” around every abortion facility from 31st October LONDON (25th October 2024) – 57,900 members of the public have signed […] The post Almost 60,000 signatories ask Keir Starmer to protect freedom of thought, as army veteran prosecuted for silent prayer appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Army veteran and father of two, Adam Smith-Connor, found guilty of breaching censorial “buffer zone” with prayerful thoughts in his mind “All I did was pray to God” – ADF UK supported legal defence, considering appeal DORSET (16th October 2024) – A man charged for praying silently in an abortion “buffer zone” in Bournemouth has […] The post GUILTY: Army Vet convicted for praying silently near abortion facility appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Father of two, who served in Afghanistan, faces day 2 of criminal proceedings TODAY for praying silently in abortion facility “buffer zone” UK Government announce “buffer zones” nationwide rollout 31st October – human rights experts warn “disproportionate” legislation “lacks clarity” LONDON (18th September 2024) – The UK Home Office have announced today that a ban […] The post “Buffer zones” to be rolled out in October – silent prayer NOT named as an offence, but law lacks clarity appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
Read →Father of two, who served in Afghanistan, faces criminal trial for praying silently in abortion “buffer zone” in Bournemouth – ADF UK supporting legal defence UK Government to roll out “buffer zones” nationwide, imminently – human rights experts warn against plans to name “silent prayer” as a crime in buffer zone guidance DORSET (17th September […] The post TODAY: Trial begins for army vet who prayed silently near abortion facility appeared first on Alliance Defending Freedom .
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