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| Anti-abortion campaigner convicted of breaching buffer zone outside UK clinic | Anti-abortion campaigner convicted of breaching buffer zone outside UK clinic |
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| Livia Tossici-Bolt given conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20,000 costs in case that drew US state department concern | Livia Tossici-Bolt given conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20,000 costs in case that drew US state department concern |
| An activist whose case had been cited by the US state department over “freedom of expression” concerns in the UK has been convicted of breaching a buffer zone outside an abortion clinic. | An activist whose case had been cited by the US state department over “freedom of expression” concerns in the UK has been convicted of breaching a buffer zone outside an abortion clinic. |
| Livia Tossici-Bolt, an anti-abortion campaigner, went on trial at Poole magistrates court last month accused of breaching a public spaces protection order on two days in March 2023 near to a clinic in Bournemouth. On Friday she was found guilty of two charges of breaching the order. | Livia Tossici-Bolt, an anti-abortion campaigner, went on trial at Poole magistrates court last month accused of breaching a public spaces protection order on two days in March 2023 near to a clinic in Bournemouth. On Friday she was found guilty of two charges of breaching the order. |
| Tossici-Bolt was given a conditional discharge and ordered not to commit any additional offences over a two-year period. She was ordered to pay costs of £20,000 towards what the judge said had been the “considerable” resources expended by the local authority, along with £26 towards a victim surcharge fee. | Tossici-Bolt was given a conditional discharge and ordered not to commit any additional offences over a two-year period. She was ordered to pay costs of £20,000 towards what the judge said had been the “considerable” resources expended by the local authority, along with £26 towards a victim surcharge fee. |
| A delegation from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), an office within the US state department, met Tossici-Bolt last month during a visit to the UK, along with a US-backed anti-abortion group, which had been supporting her case. | A delegation from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), an office within the US state department, met Tossici-Bolt last month during a visit to the UK, along with a US-backed anti-abortion group, which had been supporting her case. |
| Judge Austin said it was beyond reasonable doubt that Tossici-Bolt was engaging in an act of disapproval of abortion services on the days in question. “She lacks insight that her presence could have a detrimental effect on the women attending the clinic, their associates, staff and members of the public,” the judge said. | Judge Austin said it was beyond reasonable doubt that Tossici-Bolt was engaging in an act of disapproval of abortion services on the days in question. “She lacks insight that her presence could have a detrimental effect on the women attending the clinic, their associates, staff and members of the public,” the judge said. |
| Tossici-Bolt had stood with a sign reading “Here to talk, if you want” facing the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic, which was previously targeted by anti-abortion activists who had gathered nearby before Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council put the order in place. | Tossici-Bolt had stood with a sign reading “Here to talk, if you want” facing the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic, which was previously targeted by anti-abortion activists who had gathered nearby before Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council put the order in place. |
| There was no immediate reaction from the US state department after the DRL’s recent statement that it was monitoring the case and that it was “important that the UK respect and protect freedom of expression”. | There was no immediate reaction from the US state department after the DRL’s recent statement that it was monitoring the case and that it was “important that the UK respect and protect freedom of expression”. |
| A Downing Street spokesperson said it was vital that women using abortion services could do so “without being subject to harassment or distress” and that the right to protest did not “give people the right to harass others”. | A Downing Street spokesperson said it was vital that women using abortion services could do so “without being subject to harassment or distress” and that the right to protest did not “give people the right to harass others”. |
| Asked whether there was a problem with free speech in the UK, the spokesperson said Britain had “a very proud tradition of free speech over many centuries, and we remain proud of it today”. | Asked whether there was a problem with free speech in the UK, the spokesperson said Britain had “a very proud tradition of free speech over many centuries, and we remain proud of it today”. |
| The court previously heard evidence from council enforcement officers who said they had asked Tossici-Bolt to leave the area on both days after they received calls from a member of the public and from staff inside the clinic. | The court previously heard evidence from council enforcement officers who said they had asked Tossici-Bolt to leave the area on both days after they received calls from a member of the public and from staff inside the clinic. |
| Tossici-Bolt told one of the officers that she had located herself outside the clinic “because from my experience women come here in a very lonely state”. The order prohibited protests and other direct or indirect activities that could influence users of the abortion clinic and was in place on weekdays until 7pm. She had been asked to leave the area within that period. | Tossici-Bolt told one of the officers that she had located herself outside the clinic “because from my experience women come here in a very lonely state”. The order prohibited protests and other direct or indirect activities that could influence users of the abortion clinic and was in place on weekdays until 7pm. She had been asked to leave the area within that period. |
| Austin said Tossici-Bolt could have gone somewhere else given that people who were lonely could be found everywhere. “I accept her beliefs were truly held beliefs. Although it’s accepted this defendant held pro-life views, it’s important to note this case is not about the rights and wrongs about abortion but about whether the defendant was in breach of the PSPO (public spaces protection order),” she said. | Austin said Tossici-Bolt could have gone somewhere else given that people who were lonely could be found everywhere. “I accept her beliefs were truly held beliefs. Although it’s accepted this defendant held pro-life views, it’s important to note this case is not about the rights and wrongs about abortion but about whether the defendant was in breach of the PSPO (public spaces protection order),” she said. |
| The verdict was welcomed by the BPAS, which said the result would protect women and the staff who provided abortion care. | The verdict was welcomed by the BPAS, which said the result would protect women and the staff who provided abortion care. |
| The chief executive of BPAS, Heidi Stewart, said: “The clinic in Bournemouth has been subjected to decades of anti-abortion protests which resulted in more than 500 reports of harassment before this local safe access zone was brought into force. | The chief executive of BPAS, Heidi Stewart, said: “The clinic in Bournemouth has been subjected to decades of anti-abortion protests which resulted in more than 500 reports of harassment before this local safe access zone was brought into force. |
| “This case was never about global politics but about the simple ability of women to access legal healthcare free from harassment.” | “This case was never about global politics but about the simple ability of women to access legal healthcare free from harassment.” |
| During a discussion of costs, the hearing was told that Tossici-Bolt had significant assets and received a grant from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a registered charity in the UK, backed by a conservative US organisation of the same name. | During a discussion of costs, the hearing was told that Tossici-Bolt had significant assets and received a grant from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a registered charity in the UK, backed by a conservative US organisation of the same name. |
| Kuljit Bhogal KC, for the council, said ADF UK had an income of more than £1.3m in the year up to June 2024 and that at least one member of staff had a salary of more than £100,000, according to records filed at Companies House. The Guardian reported on Wednesday on those filings on how the ADF has been expanding UK operations. | Kuljit Bhogal KC, for the council, said ADF UK had an income of more than £1.3m in the year up to June 2024 and that at least one member of staff had a salary of more than £100,000, according to records filed at Companies House. The Guardian reported on Wednesday on those filings on how the ADF has been expanding UK operations. |
| Its global subsidiary, ADF International, said it is supporting Tossici-Bolt as she assesses her options in terms of an appeal. Robert Clarke, Director of Advocacy for ADF International, described the verdict as an “egregious failure of justice”. |