Brickbat: Third Time’s the Charm?

Pro-life activist Isabel Vaughan-Spruce is under police investigation for a third time after silently praying outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham, England. The police investigation comes despite two previous arrests for the same thing that resulted in a settlement in her favor and a formal apology from the police. British law bans activities intended to influence or cause distress within a “buffer zone” around abortion clinics. Vaughan-Spruce, who is being supported by the legal group Alliance Defending Freedom International, argues that silently praying is not a criminal offense and that everyone has a right to freedom of thought. The police have asked prosecutors to decide if there is enough evidence to charge her.