A UK military veteran is facing criminal charges for praying silently outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth, England.
According to a Fox News report, Adam Smith-Connor, who expressed remorse for paying for an ex-girlfriend’s abortion, claims his prayers are in “memory of the unborn child” and for those who are “considering the procedure.”
Smith-Connor, who is being represented by lawyers for Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADFI), an organization that defends freedom of expression, says that his silent prayer is comparable to “someone looking at a cell phone” or “waiting for a taxi ”.
The veteran held his prayers in a “buffer zone” at the British Pregnancy Advice Service abortion clinic. The “buffer zone” was created by British authorities with the aim of preventing activities by pro-life people near abortion clinics.
Smith-Connor is being accused of “invading” that boundary to carry out his prayers by Bournemouth authorities, who have issued a penalty notice that includes substantial fines for the veteran.
Smith-Connor, who served for 20 years in the Army Reserves, including a stint in Afghanistan, expressed his concern about what he sees as a decline in the country’s fundamental freedoms.
“It is unimaginable that, in a seemingly free society, I am being criminally charged based on what I have silently expressed in the privacy of my own mind,” he said.
Jeremiah Igunnubole, ADFI legal adviser, said the silent prayer charge represented a worrying erosion of human rights protections in the UK.
He emphasized that while police and courts have stated in other circumstances that silent prayer “is not a criminal act”, Bournemouth Council is interpreting the issue differently and extending its power by prosecuting individuals for the practice.
This case is the third in a series of lawsuits against UK nationals accused of silent prayer within the “buffer zones” of abortion clinics. In March of this year, a charity volunteer and a Catholic priest were found not guilty after facing similar charges.
Concern over the increasing implementation of “buffer zones” across the country is also in focus, as the UK parliament recently passed legislation that could be interpreted as a ban on silent prayer. Defenders of individual freedoms warn of the risk of a ripple effect and discrimination against broader views.
The hearing in the Smith-Connor case is scheduled for the 9th, when he plans to plead not guilty.
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