Christian Dad Arrested For Praying Silently Near Abortion Clinic: A father and British Army veteran from Bournemouth, England, is facing charges for silently praying within a designated “buffer zone” near an abortion clinic. The case is based on how the restrictions inside the zone are interpreted.
According to the Catholic News Agency, Adam Smith-Connor, a trained physiotherapist from Birmingham University and Clinical Director at New Forest Physiotherapy Southampton, was issued a fixed penalty notice last December for allegedly violating the terms of the buffer zone in November.
Smith-Connor, who is represented by the legal group Alliance Defending Freedom U.K., was praying silently for his deceased son, who was aborted over two decades ago. He now prays for those affected by abortion and those contemplating the procedure.
The buffer zone, which is enforced by the councils of Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole, forbids protesting, harassing, intimidating, or photographing visitors or personnel within 150 meters (164 yards) of the abortion clinic. The prohibitions also apply to prayer, counseling, and providing information or assistance to women visiting the clinic.
The charges against Smith-Connor “come as a surprise,” as the BCP Council refrained from pursuing prosecution within the statutory time limit, ADF U.K. said in a statement. The police had also previously informed Smith-Connor that he was not breaking the law. His first hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at the Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court, where he is expected to plead “not guilty.”
In a statement, Smith-Connor expressed his dismay at the charges. “Nobody should be prosecuted for silent prayer,” he said. “It is unfathomable that in an apparently free society, I am being criminally charged on the basis of what I expressed silently, in the privacy of my own mind.”
Jeremiah Igunnubole of ADF U.K., his legal counsel, said the case “has no place in a country with a historical and proud commitment to the rule of law.” He warned that by allowing the prosecution of silent prayer, the United Kingdom is “sailing into dangerous waters regarding human rights protections.”
According to ADF U.K., the BCP Council charged Smith-Connor on May 12 but did not notify him of the charge until July. The council’s actions have been characterized as a “remarkable consolidation of power,” with the council acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
Smith-Connor, a former abortion clinic employee, was arrested for praying for his deceased son. The officer informed him that they had to follow the Public Space Protection Order, which prohibits antisocial behavior.
The order, in effect since October 13, 2022, bars engaging in abortion services. Smith-Connor, who has a Post Graduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Science, recalled his own experience with abortion, which led to the loss of his son Jacob.
The case comes as legislators in the UK propose similar zones near abortion clinics in England and Wales.