Woman at centre of US-UK free speech row guilty of abortion buffer zone breach

The Christian woman at the centre of the free speech row between the United States and the UK was today convicted of breaching abortion clinic “buffer zone” rules.

Dr Livia Tossici-Bolt was prosecuted after she refused to pay a fixed penalty notice as a punishment for holding up a sign outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth which read: “Here to talk, if you want.”

The 64-year-old Bournemouth doctor was found guilty at Poole Magistrates’ Court after District Judge Orla Austin ruled that council officers had a reasonable belief that she was in violation of the Public Spaces Prohibition Order (PSPO).

She was convicted even though the court accepted that “the sign made no reference to pregnancy, abortion, or religious matters” and heard evidence from one council officer that “he did not witness her intimidating or harassing any individual”.

Judge Austin told the court that Dr Tossici-Bolt “lacks insight that her presence could have a detrimental effect on the women attending the clinic, their associates, staff and members of the public”.

“I accept her beliefs were truly held beliefs,” she continued, according to the Daily Telegraph. “Although it’s accepted this defendant had pro-life views, it’s important to note this case is not about the rights and wrongs of abortion but about whether the defendant was in breach of the PSPO.”

In mitigation, counsel for Dr Tossici-Bolt stressed that “the council has not adduced any evidence that she was observed by any service user or any other form of harm … neither is there an identified victim in this case.”

Judge Austin sentenced Dr Tossici-Bolt to a conditional discharge and ordered her to pay prosecution costs of £20,000 by May 31.

Her conviction comes just days after the US State Department bureau revealed it was “monitoring” Dr Tossici-Bolt’s case and that it was “concerned about freedom of expression in the United Kingdom”.

Afterwards, Dr Tossici-Bolt said: “This is a dark day for Great Britain.

“I was not protesting and did not harass or obstruct anyone. All I did was offer consensual conversation in a public place, as is my basic right, and yet the court found me guilty.

“Freedom of expression is in a state of crisis in the UK. What has happened to this country? The US State Department was right to be concerned by this case as it has serious implications for the entire Western world.”

She added: “I remain committed to fighting for free speech, not only for my own sake but for all my fellow citizens.

“If we allow this precedent of censorship to stand, nobody’s right to freely express themselves is secure.”

Lorcán Price, legal council for ADF International, which is supporting Dr Tossico-Bolt, said: “Everyone who cares about free speech should care about ‘buffer zones’.

“A Christian woman has been convicted merely for offering to chat on a public street in Britain.

“This ruling should show all reasonable people that, beyond the shadow of a doubt, abortion facility ‘buffer zones’ are incompatible with a free society.

“We will now support Livia in considering all legal options.”

Dr Tossici-Bolt refused to pay the fixed penalty notice because she believed she had not breached the terms of the PSPO —which bans acts of approval and disapproval regarding abortion—and had the right, protected under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act, to offer consensual conversations. 

The District Judge in the case is the same judge who last October found Adam Smith-Connor guilty for silently praying in a “buffer zone”, in a case which US Vice President JD Vance directly highlighted in his Munich Security Conference speech. Mr Smith-Connor will appeal his conviction in a July hearing.

In a second intervention, the US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour issued a statement on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which expressed concern about the prosecution.

It read: “US-UK relations share a mutual respect for human rights and fundamental human freedoms.

“However, as Vice-President Vance has said, we are concerned about freedom of expression in the United Kingdom. It is important that the UK respect and protect freedom of expression … We are monitoring the (Dr Tossici-Bolt) case.”

Asked about the comment, a source familiar with trade negotiations between the US and the UK said there would be “no free trade without free speech”.

(Photo courtesy of ADF International)

The post Woman at centre of US-UK free speech row guilty of abortion buffer zone breach first appeared on Catholic Herald.

The post Woman at centre of US-UK free speech row guilty of abortion buffer zone breach appeared first on Catholic Herald.