Mother launches crowdfunding campaign to fund challenge against Ealing PSPO that criminalises prayer and support outside of abortion clinic
Press release – for immediate release
Alina Dulgheriu, a mother who was supported outside an abortion clinic, has today launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £50,000 to fund an ongoing legal challenge against Ealing Council.
Ealing introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in April that criminalises any act of approval/disapproval of abortion outside the Mattock Lane abortion clinic, including prayer, the handing out of leaflets, and the offering of help to pregnant women. The crowdfunding would provide her with the financial resources needed to appeal a recent High Court decision which upheld the Ealing PSPO.
The High Court had accepted that her rights to freedom of expression, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly had been infringed by the PSPO, but it ultimately decided to uphold the PSPO and dismiss the challenge.
The High Court’s decision has significant national implications for freedom of speech, and the appeal would seek to ensure that councils cannot ban vigils from offering much needed support to women who feel as though they have no option but to have an abortion.
Alina Dulgheriu, who was supported outside an abortion centre and is launching the crowdfunding campaign, said:
“I cannot put into words the joy, the beauty and the love that my daughter has brought in to my life. She simply would not be with us today if vigils had been criminalised, and I refuse to accept that other women should be denied the opportunity to receive help where they want to keep their child.
I cannot imagine a society where a simple offer of help to a woman who might want to keep her child is seen as a criminal offence.
I am calling on the public to give generously to help cover the legal costs that I have already incurred in bringing the challenge against Ealing, and all future legal costs.
Without strong financial support, an appeal will simply not be possible.”
ENDS
- To arrange a media interview with one of the campaign’s spokespeople, please contact [email protected] or phone 07905 449025.
- To contribute to Alina’s legal fund, follow the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/alinalegalfund
- Further information on the High Court challenge is available here: https://behereforme.org/press-release-high-court-challenge/
- High resolution photos and video of the mothers speaking at the press conference at the launch of the legal challenge are available here – https://www.flickr.com/photos/153780803@N08/albums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVQ1LKpPkJzEyK5xEZ-5iRQ/videos.
To find out more about the Be Here For Me campaign visit www.behereforme.org