A CHRISTIAN man who was arrested and prosecuted for peacefully praying outside a London abortion clinic has seen the charges against dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, thanks to support from the Christian Legal Centre.
The arrest and case raise the question of whether praying in a public space now constitutes ‘harassment’ and whether ‘buffer zones’ around abortion clinics breach freedom of expression, religion and thought.
Christian Hacking, 29 and wheelchair-bound after breaking his back in a climbing accident, was arrested by police in August 2019 for failing to comply with a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) outside a Marie Stopes abortion clinic in Ealing.
Christian Concern reported that Police were initially called after a member of staff reported two men praying on the grass outside.
Police body camera footage shows two police officers approach Christian and a friend who was with him, beginning by saying, “You seem two very nice people, but…”
Police warned Christian and his friend that merely being on the green outside of the clinic was a breach of the PSPO.
