Authorities press charges against Christian dad for praying silently on street near abortion clinic
A father and British Army veteran in Bournemouth, England, is facing charges for silently praying within a designated “buffer zone” near an abortion clinic. The case hinges on the interpretation of restrictions within the zone.
Adam Smith-Connor, a trained physiotherapist from Birmingham University who serves as the Clinical Director at New Forest Physiotherapy Southampton, was issued a fixed penalty notice last December for allegedly breaching the terms of the buffer zone in November, according to the Catholic News Agency.
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.
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The buffer zone, enforced by the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, prohibits protesting, harassing, intimidating or photographing visitors or staff within 150 meters (roughly 164 yards) of the abortion clinic. The restrictions also cover prayer, counseling and offering information or help 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.”
His legal counsel, Jeremiah Igunnubole of ADF U.K., said the case “has no place in a country with a historical and proud commitment to the rule of law.” He warned that by permitting the prosecution of silent prayer, the U.K. is “sailing into dangerous waters regarding human rights protections.”
The BCP Council issued a charge against Smith-Connor on May 12 but did not inform him of the charge until July, ADF U.K. said. The council’s actions have been criticized as a “remarkable consolidation of power,” making it the judge, jury and executioner.
Smith-Connor’s encounter with the officers was recorded on his phone. When asked about his actions, he replied, “Praying for my son, who is deceased.” The officer responded that they had to follow through on the regulations of the Public Space Protection Order, which is intended to stop antisocial behavior.
The protection order for the abortion clinic has been in force since Oct. 13, 2022, and will remain in place for three years. The order bars engaging in an act or an attempted act of approval or disapproval of abortion services.
Smith-Connor said he stood outside the clinic due to his personal experience with abortion. “Twenty-two years ago, I drove my ex-girlfriend to a facility and paid for her to have an abortion. It was a pivotal moment in my life,” he said. “The consequences of my actions that day came back to grieve me years later when I realized I had lost my son Jacob to an abortion I had paid for.”
Smith-Connor holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Science from Southampton University, with a focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Extended Scope Practice in Spinal Pain, and Principles of Rehabilitation.
The case comes as legislators in the U.K. Parliament have introduced a proposal to create similar zones near abortion clinics across England and Wales.
This past February, Father Sean Gough and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce were acquitted of all charges against them after they were accused of breaking the law for praying in front of an abortion clinic in Birmingham.
