A British military veteran has been convicted for silently praying outside an abortion clinic, raising concerns about religious freedom in the United Kingdom. Adam Smith-Connor was sentenced to a two-year conditional discharge and fined £9,000 ($11,700) after he was found guilty of praying near a Bournemouth abortion facility.
Smith-Connor, who served in the military, was standing with his hands clasped, silently praying for his son who was aborted 22 years ago. In response to the ruling, Smith-Connor said, “The court has decided that silent thoughts can be illegal in the United Kingdom. That cannot be right.”
Laws in the UK prohibit all forms of prayer, protest, or demonstration within certain distances of abortion clinics. Pro-life and Christian groups have sounded the alarm over these restrictions, warning that they infringe on freedom of religion and expression.
This conviction follows a similar case earlier this year involving pro-life activist Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who was compensated after being wrongfully detained for silently praying near a Birmingham clinic. Christian groups are working to overturn such legislation, but British lawmakers continue to enforce and expand these bans.
New restrictions on prayer around clinics in England and Wales are set to take effect by the end of October, prohibiting prayer within 150 meters (492 feet) of abortion facilities. In Scotland, the law goes even further, banning prayer within 200 meters (656 feet) of clinics.