[flir]

If anyone wants to jump straight to the order itself, it's the first link under that youtube video.

> the council is satisfied on reasonable grounds that there are a number of activities, carried out or are likely to be carried out in a public space namely the area within and surrounding Station Road, Birmingham, B30, shown outlined on the map attached ( the restricted area) that have had, or are likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality. The effect or likely effect of these activities is of a persistent or continuing nature such as to make these activities unreasonable, and justifies the restrictions imposed in this order

[...]

> The Activities prohibited by the Order are:

> i Protesting, namely engaging in any act of approval or disapproval or attempted act of approval or disapproval, with respect to issues related to abortion services, by any means. This includes but is not limited to graphic, verbal or written means, prayer or counselling,

> ii Interfering, or attempting to interfere, whether verbally or physically, with a Robert Clinic service user, visitor or member of staff,

> iii Intimidating or harassing, or attempting to intimidate or harass, a Robert Clinic service user, visitor or a member of staff,

> iv Recording or photographing a Robert Clinic service user, visitor or member of staff or

> v Displaying any text or images relating directly or indirectly to the termination of pregnancy.

She was protesting. It's a persistent pattern of behaviour. It's harassment.

[sjducb]

By specifically calling out prayer the order does ban prayer...

In that case the woman was arrested for silently praying by herself. Her prayer was to stop the abortion clinic, but it was silent and in her own head.

I understand that the intent of the law is to ban prayer near an abortion clinic to stop harassment, but they have banned prayer.

(I support everything else in that order, I’m pro choice. I just don’t think we should ban prayer)

[pcrh]

She would have been guilty of harassment even if she were not praying.

Edit, these pictures show that "silently praying" is not an unobtrusive as it sounds:

https://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article2379330...

https://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article2379331...

[sjducb]

Is silent prayer illegal outside some abortion clinics in the UK?

Has the UK banned some prayer and arrested at least one person for thought crime?

The answer to both of those questions is yes.

It’s not about whether she would have been convicted for something else anyway.

[pcrh]

Any form of harassment is illegal. See the pics I posted in an edit above; the protestors make their opinions clear to visitors to the clinic, even while being silent.

[sjducb]

Do you agree that the UK has banned some silent prayer?

Do you think it is right that silent prayer was banned in this case?

This whole discussion started because people from other countries didn’t believe that the UK would ban silent prayer.

[flir]

Pretty sure I could walk through that area while praying and not get arrested. I'd do it by making no outward signs that I was praying. Therefore, prayer is not banned.

Also pretty sure I could get arrested in that area by kneeling on the pavement and meditating, rather than praying. I don't think "but I was meditating" would cut it as a defence, either, because what's banned is "anything that looks like protest, here are some examples".

I think it's the kneeling she got arrested for, which happens to be coded as "prayer" in our culture. In other words, she was arrested for protesting.

[growse]

> Do you agree that the UK has banned some silent prayer?

This is true in the same sense that the UK has also banned breathing, because murdering people is illegal and some people happen to be breathing whilst doing their murdering.

[growse]

If she was "silently praying by herself" in her own house, or literally most other places in the country, she wouldn't have been arrested.

The context matters.