The entire UK establishment is now protecting commercial businesses making money from abortion, even though the Bible says:
Deut 27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
So-called ‘Buffer Zones’ or ‘Safe Access Zones’ will be introduced around abortion premises in England and Wales starting on 31 October, the Home Office has announced. Those in Scotland and Northern Ireland are already in place.
The zones will make it illegal to ‘influence’ people’s decisions within a ‘safe access zone’. These zones, which will prohibit protests, will cover a 150-metre radius around places providing abortion in England and Wales, 200 metres in Scotland and between 100 and 250 metres in Northern Ireland.
(It is worth saying that ”safe’ as in ‘safe access zone’ does not mean ‘safe’ as we normally understand it, i.e., safe from attacks or trip hazards. It means ‘safe’ from hearing uncomfortable or inconvenient views. It also means making commercial operations safe from possible loss of income.)
What can you do where?
The Draft Guidance for England & Wales was published as a consultation in December 2023 and attempted to balance competing rights. (Draft Government Guidance: England & Wales) It was condemned by pro-aborts. The new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting MP, does not appear yet to have published the final version. The DOH page still says they are ‘analysing your feedback’. Will it be ‘illegal’ in our law to distribute pro-life leaflets or speak to individuals entering or working at such premises, or even to pray in silence? Who knows?
Those found guilty of violating the law could face unlimited fines. The list of affected premises in England and Wales is downloaded here (on tabs T1 & T2 of an excel-type spreadsheet).
It very much appears as if the Scottish government are leaving interpretation up to the police and the courts as are their Northern Ireland counterparts. So no-one knows whether they can exercise historic Christian freedom or not.
Here is the list for Scotland. The eight in Northern Ireland are shown on maps here.
The Bible says:
Prov 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, …
The Public Order Act 2023
Under the law, section(9) of the Public Order Act 2023 states:
(1) It is an offence for a person who is within a safe access zone to do an act with the intent of, or reckless as to whether it has the effect of—
(a) influencing any person’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services at an abortion clinic,
(b) obstructing or impeding any person accessing, providing, or facilitating the provision of abortion services at an abortion clinic, or
(c) causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person in connection with a decision to access, provide, or facilitate the provision of abortion services at an abortion clinic,where the person mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) is within the safe access zone for the abortion clinic.
The Bible says,
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Fundamental human right for murder?
‘Safeguarding’ Minister Jess Phillips MP claimed that the importance of the law is give women ‘fundamental right to access abortion services without fear of harassment or intimidation’.
‘We will not sit back and tolerate harassment, abuse and intimidation as people exercise their legal right to healthcare.’
But the word ‘healthcare’ is doing much heavy lifting there, considering an abortion in reality takes the life of a vulnerable human soul.
The Bible says,
Psalm 139:13-16 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb…I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well…My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth…Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
The England & Wales law was originally approved by Parliament in May 2023, but the government announced it would hold a consultation on guidance before implementing the zones.
According to the Home Office, the new regulations will be enforced from the end of October 2024.
What does ‘influence’ mean?
Under the law, as seen in Section 9:(1) of the Public Order Act 2023, any action that deliberately or recklessly ‘influences’ someone’s decision to access abortion services will face unlimited fines. But how will the courts interpret ‘influencing’ in this context?
It is also worthy to note that there is no list of banned words as in the 5 Local Authority Censorship Zones in England. This makes the term ‘influencing’ vague. Would it include general preaching against sin?
In September 2023, Northern Ireland enacted the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) Act 2023.
It received Royal Assent on 6 February 2023. Under this law, pro- life protests and other behaviours are prohibited within areas described as ‘Safe Access Zone’ in accordance with Section 11(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (“the Act”), as referenced in this judgement on Clause 5(2)(a) of the Bill;
‘It is an offence for D to do an act in a safe access zone with the intent of, or reckless as to whether it has the effect of –
(a) influencing a protected person, whether directly or indirectly,
(b) preventing or impeding access by a protected person, or
(c) causing harassment, alarm or distress to a protected person,
in connection with the protected person attending protected premises for a purpose mentioned in section 3.’
Scotland follows suit
Meanwhile, Scotland’s ‘Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill’ which includes offence of influencing, preventing access or causing harassment etc, in an area visible or audible from safe access zone came into force in September 2024.
Under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024;
(1) A person who is in a safe access zone for protected premises commits an offence if the person does an act with the intention of, or is reckless as to whether the act has the effect of—
(a) influencing the decision of another person to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services at the protected premises,
(b) preventing or impeding another person from accessing, providing or facilitating the provision of abortion services at the protected premises, or
(c) causing harassment, alarm or distress to another person in connection with the other person’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services at the protected premises,where in each case the other person is in the safe access zone for the purpose of accessing, providing or facilitating the provision of abortion services at the protected premises.
Sign our Petition against Buffer Zones to mark your opposition and to keep in touch:
‘Unnecessary and disproportionate’
Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has said buffer zone legislation discriminates against people of faith.
‘The “safe access zone” law is “unnecessary and disproportionate,” he said. He emphasised that existing laws already protect women from harassment, and the new law could unfairly target people of faith, restricting their right to express religious beliefs through prayer and outreach.
Bishop Sherrington added, ‘Religious freedom is the foundational freedom of any free and democratic society,’ and expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding the practice of private prayer within these zones.
In the past it has been Catholics, mainly women, who have maintained vigils at abortion premises.
Buffer zone trial
In February 2024, the Christian Voice National Director was convicted in Uxbridge Magistrates Court of breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order outside Marie Stopes in Ealing in 2023.
Stephen Green held a sign bearing Psalm 139:13 ‘For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.’
The preacher has appealed against his conviction and will face a new trial in Isleworth Crown Court TW7 5LG on 29 and 30th October. His trial will conclude the day before the new England & Wales law takes effect.
Related Stories
Health Secretary to back legalisation of abortion →
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More Abortion Buffer Zone Video →
Read and pray
READ: Exod 18:21; Deut 27:25; Psalm 106:37-38; Prov 14:23; Isa 28:9; Jer 7:28b; Ezek 18:20; Matt 9:36; Luke 1:44; Col 3:12.
PRAY: For the repeal of woke laws.
Pray for children whose lives are cut short owing to a decision no mother should be allowed to make.
Pray for God fearing leaders
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I wonder if it would be acceptable to wear a T-shirt saying “Good Samaritan” or “Street Angel” in the buffer zone and if approached by someone, to take them for a coffee somewhere outside the buffer zone, where it would then be possible to legally chat with them about whatever they want to talk about.