A petition signed by nearly 60,000 UK citizens has urged Keir Starmer to safeguard the right to silent prayer after recent arrests of pro-life advocates outside abortion clinics. Alliance Defending Freedom UK (ADF UK) initiated the petition, highlighting that 'buffer zones' around clinics, initially meant to prevent demonstrations, have evolved into 'censorship zones' that criminalise silent prayer. Recently, pro-life advocate Adam Smith-Connor was convicted for praying silently within a designated buffer zone and fined nearly £10,000. ADF UK warns that censoring prayer creates a dangerous precedent for restricting thoughts deemed 'offensive’. The petition calls on Starmer to repeal the recent Public Orders Act, which will soon extend buffer zones to all clinics nationwide, punishing violations with prison time and unlimited fines. It argues that free expression, including silent prayer, is essential for a democratic society. See