Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones Implemented Across England and Wales

The new zones aim to protect clinic access while sparking debate over silent prayer and free speech rights.

Buffer zones prohibit activities that influence, obstruct, or distress individuals within 150 meters of abortion clinics.
These zones are a part of the Public Order Act 2023, with enforcement guidance being released by the Crown Prosecution Service and College of Policing.
Pro-choice advocates support the zones for preventing harassment, while opponents argue it infringes on religious and free speech rights.
Silent prayer within these zones has been a contentious issue, with attempts to allow it being rejected in Parliament.
Legal challenges are anticipated as some groups view the zones as an overreach into personal freedoms.