A transatlantic feud is widening over the fundamental right to free speech, as the United States issued a strong warning to the UK over its enforcement of protest restrictions outside abortion clinics.
The United States State Department (DoS) has formally condemned Britain’s use of “buffer zones,” accusing the government of violating core democratic principles of free speech, religious freedom and the right to protest.
The zones, introduced last year, criminalize any form of protest or prayer, including silent prayer, within 150 meters of abortion clinics. Those found in violation face the prospect of extreme fines without a maximum limit imposable.
In a strongly worded statement, a State Department spokesman said: “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.”
This official condemnation marks an escalation of U.S. involvement, which began earlier this year during the Trump administration. The White House previously intervened in the case of Livia Tossici-Bolt, a 64-year-old convicted in April for standing silently outside a Bournemouth clinic with a sign that read: “Here to talk if you want to.”
The DoS’s annual Human Rights Report cited “credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression” in Britain. The issue has also found a vocal critic in U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who warned in a February speech that free speech was “in retreat” in the UK and later confronted Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on the matter in Washington.
When Vance indicated the topic would be discussed, Starmer pushed back, insisting, “Well, we’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom and it will last for a very, very long time.”
U.S. officials have since been in contact with UK pro-life groups, including Tossici-Bolt, who received a two-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay over £20,000 in costs. She described her conviction as “a dark day for Great Britain” and evidence of an “Orwellian” erosion of liberties.
Washington has shown support for other victims of the draconian UK laws. Last week, 75-year-old Rose Docherty was cleared of charges in Scotland after being arrested for holding a sign outside a Glasgow hospital. Following visits from U.S. officials, Docherty said it was “heartening that others around the world, including the U.S. government, have realised this injustice.”
However, the U.S. involvement is viewed with alarm by abortion providers. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), which runs the Bournemouth clinic, warns that American support may be fueling the rise of “professionalized crisis pregnancy center operations.”
The UK government insists that the buffer zone policy does not violate freedoms. A spokesman stated: “Free speech is vital for democracy, including here in the UK, and we are proud to uphold freedoms while keeping citizens safe.”
Zolta Győri is a journalist at europeanconservative.com.