Press Release: Sit Down, Vance: Abortion Rights Claps Back at US VP’s Safe Access Zone Rant

Spoiler we don’t need JD’s permission or his regressive opinions—our right to safe, harassment-free abortion care isn’t up for grabs.

After US Vice President JD Vance condemned the prosecution of an anti-abortion protester who breached a safe access zone outside a Scottish clinic at the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2025, Kerry Abel, Chair of Abortion Rights, responded:

“Freedom of religion does not trump reproductive rights. Anti-abortion activists claim that banning ‘silent prayer’ outside clinics infringes on their beliefs—but let’s be clear: standing outside an abortion clinic praying isn’t neutral, it’s designed to shame and pressure women. Parliament rejected attempts to carve out exceptions for this in 2023, and for good reason.”

“Abortion is healthcare, and women must be able to access it free from harassment. The overwhelming majority of Britons support abortion and safe access zones, and no amount of foreign interference will change that. We won’t let US politicians or religious extremists dictate our rights—full decriminalisation is the only way forward.”