(LifeSiteNews) – The U.S. State Department is putting the United Kingdom on notice for infringing on the free speech of pro-life English subjects, calling it an affront to the “shared values” between the two nations.
The Telegraph reported that the State Department issued a statement accusing one of its closest geopolitical allies of “egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech,” specifically citing “many ‘buffer zone’ cases in the UK, as well as other acts of censorship throughout Europe.”
“The UK’s persecution of silent prayer represents not only an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty but also a concerning departure from the shared values that ought to underpin US-UK relations,” a spokesperson said. “It is common sense that standing silently and offering consensual conversation does not constitute harm.”
The rebuke refers to the UK’s establishment of “bubble” or “buffer” zones around abortion facilities, ostensibly to protect individuals entering or exiting them from “harassment, abuse and intimidation.” In practice, however, they have led to crushing fines against peaceful pro-life activists.
Earlier this year, retired scientist Livia Tossici-Bolt was found guilty and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £20,000 ($25,777.34 USD) for holding up a sign that read “here to talk, if you want to” within 150 meters of the BPAS abortion center in Bournemouth. Rose Docherty, a 75-year-old Scottish grandmother, was arrested under similar circumstances, but charges were dropped amid international outcry.
A UK government spokesman responded with a brief statement that “free speech is vital for democracy, including here in the UK, and we are proud to uphold freedoms while keeping citizens safe.”
In May, the Trump administration sent a State Department delegation to England to investigate the free speech situation, including meeting with Tossici-Bolt and Docherty and other similar victims, and report back on their findings to “affirm the importance of freedom of expression in the U.K. and across Europe.”
It remains to be seen how either nation will follow up the exchange. Relations between the U.S. and European nations, including the UK, are currently strained on multiple fronts, including President Donald Trump’s campaign to overhaul international trade agreements and Western nations’ struggle to settle on a unified strategy in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
