A grandmother in the United Kingdom who was fined for silently praying outside an abortion clinic has been vindicated, following a year-long fight for justice.
Rosa Lalor, a 76-year-old grandmother from Liverpool, has had a year-long fight for justice. She was arrested by the police on Feb. 24, 2021, and fined 200 pounds under a temporary Covid-19 regulatory measure, with police arguing she did not have a “reasonable excuse” to be outdoors.
Lalor had been taking a walk on the morning of her prayer, wearing a mask and social distancing at the time of her arrest. She was listening to a prayer app on her headphones when she was stopped by a police officer, accused of protesting, and issued with a fixed penalty notice.
Her penalties have been dismissed on Monday, according to ADF International.
“I’m delighted that the prosecution has finally dropped this charge after a long and exhausting battle for justice,” Lolar 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.”
Merseyside police have accepted in dropping its charges that Lalor was acting within her rights to pray while walking in a public space.
Article 9 of the European Court of Human Rights states that everyone has a right to manifest their freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, “either alone or in community with others and in public or private,” according to ADF UK.
(Picture Courtesy: ADF International)
