A 76-year-old pro-life woman who was arrested and fined for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in Liverpool has had her penalty dismissed.
Rosa Lalor, a grandmother, was arrested, detained, and issued a fine by officers in February 2021 for supposedly breaking COVID lockdown measures with “protest.”
“Merseyside Police have now conceded that such detention was wrong, and that Lalor was acting within her rights, indeed having a ‘reasonable excuse’ to be outdoors praying,” human rights group Alliance Defending Freedom (U.K.) announced in a press release issued Monday.
“I’m delighted that the prosecution has finally dropped this charge after a long and exhausting battle for justice,” Lalor said.
“I took this challenge forward with support from ADF UK to show that we do all have a fundamental right to pray – not least pray as I did, in the privacy of my own mind,” she continued. “It was wrong for the police officer to tell me that I could not pray in a public street. It’s important for officers to respect basic religious freedom, and improve their understanding of how that right manifests, in order to maintain a truly tolerant society.”
Jeremiah Igunnubole, ADF U.K. legal counsel for Lalor, noted that while his client ultimately won in court, it’s “deeply regrettable” Lalor had to endure such suffering for merely praying in public, suggesting she was really persecuted for her pro-life views.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate a victory for Rosa today, but it is deeply regrettable that this law-abiding woman was subjected to distressing, drawn-out criminal proceedings in the first place, no doubt due to her pro-life stance,” he slammed.
“This follows a worrying trend in law enforcement where individuals are routinely arrested simply because their views are considered to be controversial or offensive,” Igunnubole added.
🚨BREAKING: 76-year-old Rosa Lalor WINS against her wrongful arrest for a PRAYER WALK near abortion facility!
The Northern Irish ban on such pro-life activity will face challenge at the UK Supreme Court *TOMORROW*.
Prayer is never criminal.#bufferzones https://t.co/KrasG7YW79— ADF UK (@ADF_UK) July 18, 2022
Back here in the United States, a pro-life woman this month was awarded $5.1 million by a jury, finding that Southwest Airlines canned the 20-year veteran flight attendant for her religious beliefs, namely her pro-life views.
Charlene Carter expressed her pro-life stance online and pushed back against the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) Local 556 union after the group, including president Audrey Stone, attended the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., in 2017. The event receives funding from Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion mill in the country.
“Today is a victory for freedom of speech and religious beliefs. Flight attendants should have a voice and nobody should be able to retaliate against a flight attendant for engaging in protected speech against her union,” Carter told FOX Business last week. “I am so humbled and thankful for today’s decision and for everyone who’s supported me these past five years, including the National Right to Work Foundation.”
Source: Dailywire
