US FREE SPEECH Under Attack: State Department Slams UK’S Shocking Crackdown on Pro-Life Prayer
— A team from the U.S. State Department traveled to Britain in March. They met with pro-life activists who were arrested for silently praying outside abortion clinics. The diplomats also spoke with UK officials and Ofcom, the group now in charge of policing online speech under the new Online Safety Act.
This law has caused tension between Washington and London. It lets British authorities fine American social media companies if they don’t censor certain content. The Trump administration has strongly criticized Britain’s crackdown on free speech, warning it could hurt future trade deals between the two countries.
Vice President JD Vance called out Europe’s retreat from free expression during a February speech in Munich. He singled out the UK for arresting pro-life campaigners like 74-year-old Rose Docherty, who was arrested under Britain’s “buffer zone” law that targets protests near abortion clinics. Docherty thanked the Trump administration after her arrest for standing up for free speech rights.
Many conservatives see these actions as a clear threat to basic liberties and religious freedom — both in America and across Europe.;
