Court of Appeal grants permission to hear challenge to censorship zone which criminalises prayer and support outside Ealing abortion clinic

Jan 10, 2019 by Jill

from Be Here For Me:

The Court of Appeal has granted permission to hear the challenge against Ealing Council in respect of its Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which criminalised prayer and support outside an abortion clinic on Mattock Lane.

Alina Dulgheriu, a mother who was supported by a pro-life vigil outside of a London abortion clinic, filed a High Court challenge against Ealing in April last year. The High Court accepted that her rights to freedom of expression, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly had been infringed, but ultimately upheld Ealing’s PSPO. Alina subsequently launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the ongoing appeal, which successfully raised over £50,000 in under 3 months.

The development comes further to the announcement of the Home Secretary last September that he would not be introducing nationwide ‘buffer zones’. Sajid Javid said that such a move would not be proportionate in light of the ‘passive’ nature of activities outside of abortion clinics, as well as the existing powers of local councils and police.

While Ealing Council said that a PSPO was needed to tackle ‘anti-social’ behaviour, the wording of the order prevents individuals from offering support to women who believe they have no option but to have an abortion. The broadly-worded Ealing PSPO criminalised, among other activities:

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