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The event you’re referring to is actually a bit of a non-story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9kp7r00vo.amp You’re not allowed to protest right outside an abortion clinic: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/abortion-service-protecti... You can protest against abortion as much as you like. Someone spent a long time trying to politely get this man to leave the protected zone, but he refused, which is why he was then arrested.

As usual in these HN threads on the UK, there’s a reasonable point that could be made about whether or not this restriction correctly balances the right to free speech against women’s right to access healthcare. But instead we see a lot of wildly exaggerated talk about “thought crimes”, etc. etc.

The concept of restricting the time and place of protests is not exactly unknown in the US either: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_speech_zone

> For example, you can do research into a person named "Adam Smith-Connor" who was literally convicted for standing in public while introspectively praying silently. The conduct of standing while appearing to pray was deemed as a form of illegal protest too near an abortion clinic.

Those people are not trying to genuinely prey, but to intimidate women considering or wanting to get an abortion.

> There are also well documented incidents in the UK involving the prosecution of people making remarks online, which could arguably cross into thought-crime territory.

On this I agree.

So, loitering with intent, like this guy was arrested for 120 years ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loitering#/media/File:Gilbert_...

Or in fact a specific crime of hanging around abortion clinics.