Latest news with #LiviaTossici-Bolt
The Guardian
05-04-2025
- The Guardian
UK woman says she was not at abortion clinic ‘to express views' after conviction
A woman who was given a conditional discharge after being convicted of breaching a buffer zone outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth has claimed she was 'not there to express my views'. Livia Tossici-Bolt, an anti-abortion campaigner whose case has been cited by the US state department over 'freedom of expression' concerns in the UK, told the BBC's Today programme she was 'really disappointed' with the conviction 'because it's nothing to do with protesting' and said she would 'continue my fight for freedom of speech'. 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. The campaigner went on trial at Poole magistrates court last month accused of breaching a public spaces protection order in March 2023 near a clinic in Bournemouth. On Friday she was found guilty of two charges of breaching the order. She 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 told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday: 'I was not there to express my views. I was there to offer free conversation, consensual conversation, to anyone who wanted to speak to me and not on the topics I want to speak. I was there to listen.' She added: 'I was there not to make any woman unhappy or distressed. I was there to speak to everyone in the community that wanted to have a conversation with me. 'Certainly, anyone could have approached me, including, if they wanted to, women accessing the clinic. It was up to them and I was there to listen to them, not to try and convince them at all. I was just there for everyone just to talk to me.' When asked if she was there to try to get the women to change their minds, she said: 'No, absolutely not.' Tossici-Bolt's lawyer, Jeremiah Igunnubole, said he and his team were 'exploring all legal options'. 'We need to look very closely at the legal decision made yesterday and also the prosecution costs of £20,000 that has been imposed on Livia,' Igunnubole told the Today programme. 'This is unprecedented circumstances; never before have we seen entirely peaceful conduct criminalised for nothing other than offering a consensual conversation.' A delegation from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), an office within the US Department of State, met Tossici-Bolt last month during a visit to the UK. They were accompanied by a US-backed anti-abortion group, which had been supporting her case. In a post on X hours after the conviction on Friday, the DRL said: 'We are disappointed with the UK court's conviction of Livia Tossici-Bolt for violating a designated 'buffer zone' at an abortion clinic. Freedom of expression must be protected for all.' After the verdict, 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.'
Telegraph
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
I am fighting for free speech, claims pro-life activist at heart of transatlantic row
A pro-life activist backed by the White House has said she is fighting for free speech. Livia Tossici-Bolt, 64, was convicted on Friday for protesting outside an abortion clinic by holding a sign that read: ' Here to talk if you want to.' The mother of three was handed a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20,026 in costs after the 2023 protests in Bournemouth, Dorset. On Saturday, she told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: 'What I'm going to do [now]? There isn't much I can do, isn't it? 'I've been given this conditional discharge, and I will continue my fight for freedom of speech.' The dual UK-Italian citizen stood diagonally opposite a British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic in Bournemouth, approximately 50 metres away, holding a sign on two consecutive days in March 2023. She refused requests to leave the area, claiming that she had not been given an adequate reason to do so, and declined to pay two fixed penalty notices issued by the council. Mrs Tossici-Bolt was convicted at Poole Magistrates Court on Friday of breaching a ban on protests in a protected buffer zone. Giving her verdict, District Judge Orla Austin said that Tossici-Bolt was not 'lawfully exercising' her rights of freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Mrs Tossici-Bolt told Today: 'It was purely inviting consensual conversation and I think in the public space, everybody can do that. And this, I don't think is detrimental. I think it is very beneficial for everyone.' She added: 'I was not there to express my views. That's the point. I was there to have a free conversation, consensual conversation, to anyone who wanted to speak to me, and not all the topics I want to speak. I was there to listen.' The prosecution gained global attention this week after the US State Department announced it was 'monitoring' her case, risking a diplomatic row with Britain.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Campaigner defiant over abortion clinic breach
A woman convicted of breaching an abortion clinic protection zone has said she will continue her "fight for free speech". Livia Tossici-Bolt, 64, was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £20,000 for two charges of breaking a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). The anti-abortion campaigner held a sign reading "Here to talk, if you want" outside a clinic in Bournemouth on two days in March 2023. Her legal representative told the BBC Tossici-Bolt had been offering a "consensual conversation" and would explore "all legal options" following the ruling. The case has been highlighted by US Vice-President JD Vance and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour - a bureau within the US State Department. The bureau said it was "disappointed" by the ruling, in a post on X. "Freedom of expression must be protected for all," it added. Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, Tossici-Bolt said: "It was nothing to do with protesting, harassing or intimidating. It was inviting a conversation." She said her actions were "certainly not to make any woman unhappy or distressed". "Anyone could have approached me - including women attending the clinic. It was up to them," said Tossici-Bolt. "I was there to listen to them. Not that I was there to convince them or change minds or not." Asked what she would do next, she said: "I was given a conditional discharge. I will continue my fight for free speech." At Poole Magistrates' Court on Friday, District Judge Orla Austin said Tossici-Bolt's presence "could have a detrimental effect" on the women attending the clinic. The judge continued: "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." The prosecution had been brought by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council for breach of a PSPO under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. The zone at Ophir Road came into force in October 2022, running from 07:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday. Tossici-Bolt's legal counsel, Jeremiah Igunnubole, from the Alliance Defending Freedom, said they would "explore all legal options". He said the conviction and costs imposed were "unprecedented". "Never before have we seen entirely peaceful conduct being criminalised for nothing other than offering a consensual conversation," he said. Speaking earlier this week, former supreme court justice Lord Sumption said: "Women having an abortion - it's a very agonising decision and most people feel they are entitled to protection. "Anti-abortion campaigners can shout their views from the rooftops, broadcast or write in the press. "Freedom of speech is in no way inhibited, except they cannot stand outside abortion clinics so as to harass the women trying to get in." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Woman guilty of abortion clinic safe zone breach Buffer zones set to come in around abortion clinics
BBC News
05-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'Free speech' vow after abortion clinic safe zone breach
A woman convicted of breaching an abortion clinic protection zone has said she will continue her "fight for free speech".Livia Tossici-Bolt, 64, was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £20,000 for two charges of breaking a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).The anti-abortion campaigner held a sign reading "Here to talk, if you want" outside a clinic in Bournemouth on two days in March legal representative told the BBC Tossici-Bolt had been offering a "consensual conversation" and would explore "all legal options" following the ruling. The case has been highlighted by US Vice-President JD Vance and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour - a bureau within the US State bureau said it was "disappointed" by the ruling, in a post on X. "Freedom of expression must be protected for all," it on Radio 4's Today programme, Tossici-Bolt said: "It was nothing to do with protesting, harassing or intimidating. It was inviting a conversation."She said her actions were "certainly not to make any woman unhappy or distressed"."Anyone could have approached me - including woman attending the clinic. It was up to them," said Tossici-Bolt."I was there to listen to them. Not that I was there to convince them or change minds or not."Asked what she would do next, she said: "I was given a conditional discharge. I will continue my fight for free speech."At Poole Magistrates' Court on Friday, District Judge Orla Austin said Tossici-Bolt's presence "could have a detrimental effect" on the women attending the judge continued: "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." 'Unprecedented' The prosecution had been brought by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council for breach of a PSPO under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act zone at Ophir Road came into force in October 2022, running from 07:00 to 19:00, Monday to legal counsel, Jeremiah Igunnubole, from the Alliance Defending Freedom, said they would "explore all legal options".He said the conviction and costs imposed were "unprecedented"."Never before have we seen entirely peaceful conduct being criminalised for nothing other than offering a consensual conversation," he earlier this week, former supreme court justice Lord Sumption said: "Woman having an abortion - it's a very agonising decision and most people feel they are entitled to protection. "Anti-abortion campaigners can shout their views from the rooftops, broadcast or write in the press. "Freedom of speech is in no way inhibited, except they cannot stand outside abortion clinics so has to harass the women trying to get in." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
05-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Convicted anti-abortion campaigner ‘inviting consensual conversation'
An anti-abortion campaigner who was convicted of breaching a public spaces protection order outside an abortion clinic has claimed she was 'inviting consensual conversation', as her lawyer said he and his team were 'exploring all legal options'. Livia Tossici-Bolt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she was 'not there to make any woman unhappy'. The 64-year-old was handed a two-year conditional discharge at Poole Magistrates' Court on Friday. The case involved Tossici-Bolt, a retired medical scientist from Bournemouth, holding a sign saying 'Here to talk, if you want' on two days in March 2023. Speaking about her conviction, she said: 'I was really disappointed because it's nothing to do with protesting. 'It was purely inviting consensual conversation and I think in a public space everybody can do that. 'I was not there to express my views. 'I was there to offer free conversation, consensual conversation, to anyone who wanted to speak to me and not on the topics I want to speak, I was there to listen. 'I was interested to listen to people and I think everyone should be allowed that.' She added: 'I was there not to make any woman unhappy or distressed. I was there to speak to everyone in the community that wanted to have a conversation with me. 'Certainly anyone could have approached me, including, if they wanted to, women accessing the clinic. It was up to them and I was there to listen to them, not to try and convince them at all, to change (their) mind or not. I was just there for everyone just to talk to me.' As well as the conditional discharge, District Judge Orla Austin ordered Tossici-Bolt to pay £20,000 towards court costs and a £26 victim surcharge. Tossici-Bolt's lawyer Jeremiah Igunnubole said his client's case was 'unprecedented'. He told the Today programme: 'We need to look very closely at the legal decision made yesterday and also the prosecution costs of £20,000 that has been imposed on Livia. 'This is unprecedented circumstances, never before have we seen entirely peaceful conduct criminalised for nothing other than offering a consensual conversation. 'It's the first time in modern British history that this happened. 'So, we, of course, have to go through the judgment and explore all our legal options.' On Friday, a US government department criticised the decision to convict Tossici-Bolt. In a statement on X, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labour (DRL), a bureau within the US Department of State said: 'We are disappointed with the UK court's conviction of Livia Tossici-Bolt for violating a designated 'buffer zone' at an abortion clinic. Freedom of expression must be protected for all.' Mr Igunnubole said the US state department was 'quite right'. He added: 'What I am disappointed with is the fact that no United Kingdom politician, or at least leader of any of the major parties, has also made similar comments to raise their concerns about the state of freedom of speech.' The council-enacted buffer zone, which came into effect in 2022 and covers 10 streets, is aimed at protecting patients and staff from harassment and distress while accessing the clinic. Sentencing her on Friday, District Judge Austin said that Tossici-Bolt had 'deeply-held' beliefs but her rights of freedom of expression under article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) had to be balanced against the rights of the women attending the clinic and its staff. She said: 'I accept that the defendant engaged in the conduct underlying this case as part of a sincerely motivated desire to attend that location and display her signage outside the clinic, encouraging conversation in relation to matters of particular importance to her. 'This does not mean that her conviction for failing to leave the area when required would be disproportionate, nor give rise to a reasonable excuse on the facts of this case.' Asked what happens next, Tossici-Bolt said: 'There isn't much I can do, isn't it? 'I've been given this conditional discharge and I will continue my fight for freedom of speech.' The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said the case was 'never about global politics' but instead women being able to 'access legal healthcare free from harassment'.
