{"id":2357330,"date":"2024-10-20T20:16:02","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T00:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/army-vet-found-guilty-for-bowing-head-in-silent-prayer-over-his-dead-son\/"},"modified":"2024-10-20T20:17:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T00:17:40","slug":"army-vet-found-guilty-for-bowing-head-in-silent-prayer-over-his-dead-son","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/army-vet-found-guilty-for-bowing-head-in-silent-prayer-over-his-dead-son\/","title":{"rendered":"Army Vet Found Guilty for Bowing Head in Silent Prayer Over His Dead Son"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Farmy-vet-found-guilty-for-bowing-head-in-silent-prayer-over-his-dead-son%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2357330&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In an incident reminiscent of Orwell&#8217;s &#8220;1984,&#8221; Adam Smith-Connor, \u2064a 51-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/canadian-man-drives-over-1000-miles-to-help-american-family-stuck-in-snow\/\" title=\"Canadian Man Drives Over 1,000 Miles To Help American Family Stuck in Snow\">military veteran<\/a>\u200c in the UK, \u200dhas been convicted \u2063for silently\u2063 praying in a designated\u2062 &#8220;safe zone&#8221; near an abortion\u200c facility \u2063in Bournemouth. \u200cThis event took \u200dplace in November 2022, shortly after a local \u2062council enacted a\u200c Public Space Protection Order that prohibits\u200c any activities related to abortion advocacy or opposition within the zone. Smith-Connor was reportedly approached by police who\u2062 inquired about \u200cthe nature of his \u2063prayer, which he clarified was for his unborn son, \u2062who was aborted 22 years prior.<\/p>\n<p>District Judge Orla Austin labeled Smith-Connor&#8217;s actions as &#8220;deliberate,&#8221;\u200d resulting in a\u2063 nearly $12,000 fine and a two-year conditional \u200cdischarge. The ruling has sparked outrage among various commentators, including former Conservative\u200d MP\u200c Miriam Cates, who \u200bargued that \u2064no one should be prosecuted for their thoughts.\u200b Legal expert Jeremiah \u200dIgunnubole called the decision a significant violation of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sen-rand-paul-challenges-biden-transgender-sports-policy\/\" title=\"Sen. Rand Paul challenges Biden transgender sports policy\">basic human rights<\/a>. This\u2064 situation raises broader concerns about freedom \u2062of expression and the implications of abortion-related laws in\u200c the UK,\u2062 alongside a warning for\u200b potential future challenges to similar rights in the US.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> <script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>In a case straight out of &ldquo;1984,&rdquo; a grieving father has been convicted after saying a silent prayer for his dead son in a so-called &ldquo;safe zone&rdquo; near an abortion facility.<\/p>\n<p>Adam Smith-Connor, 51, went afoul of the United Kingdom&rsquo;s government in November 2022 when he bowed his head in prayer at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in Bournemouth, England, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c4g9kp7r00vo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Police officers approached him at the time, asking &ldquo;what is the nature of your prayer?&rdquo; according to the Christian legal group <a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/guilty-army-vet-convicted-for-praying-silently-near-abortion-facility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ADF UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/praying-woman-arrested-for-breaking-public-space-order-outside-u-k-abortion-clinic\/\" title=\"Praying Woman Arrested For Breaking Public Space Order Outside U.K. Abortion Clinic\">public space protection order<\/a> was in effect around the facility&rsquo;s perimeter at the time of Smith-Connor&rsquo;s prayer.<\/p>\n<p>The safe zone was put in place one month before Smith-Connor&rsquo;s private vigil, according to the BBC.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>Any activity supporting or denouncing abortion is prohibited within the zone. According to the Bournemouth council, a majority of people support the zone, the BBC reported.<\/p>\n<p>Smith-Connor told the court he was praying for his unborn son. According to the man, a British military veteran, his son was aborted 22 years before his silent conversation with God.<\/p>\n<p>According to the BBC, District Judge Orla Austin called his actions &ldquo;deliberate&rdquo; on Wednesday and slapped the vet with nearly $12,000 in fines and a two-year conditional discharge.<\/p>\n<p>The decision left Smith-Connor, experts and politicians disgusted.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Today, the court has decided that certain thoughts &ndash; silent thoughts &ndash; can be illegal in the United Kingdom,&rdquo; Smith-Conner told Christian legal group ADF UK. &ldquo;That cannot be right.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;All I did was pray to God, in the privacy of my own mind &ndash; and yet I stand convicted as a criminal?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Miriam Cates, a former member of the U.K. Parliament for the Conservative Party, drew comparisons with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/zg-putins-nightmare-1984-is-now-a-bestselling-book-in-russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Orwellian dystopia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t &lsquo;1984,&rsquo; but 2024 &mdash; nobody should be on trial for the mere thoughts they hold in their mind,&rdquo; Cates told AFD UK.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s outrageous that the local council are pouring taxpayer funding into prosecuting a thoughtcrime, at a time where resources are stretched thin.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF UK, called the judge&rsquo;s decision a &ldquo;turning point of immense proportions,&rdquo; saying the country can &ldquo;hardly sink any lower&rdquo; in the abuse of basic human rights.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s important to remember that the United States, a longtime beacon of hope and freedom in the world, can trace its lineage to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/pilgrims-landed-americas-shores-adopted-revolutionary-self-government-400-years-ago\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">people unfairly persecuted<\/a> for their faith in the British Isles.<\/p>\n<p>While prayer is not illegal in America yet, the enshrinement of abortion in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/shapiro-abortion-lefts-vital-sacrament-reason\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">progressive pantheon<\/a> could present a challenge to that in the future.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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Adam Smith-Connor, 51, faced legal repercussions from the UK government in November 2022 after he prayed at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in Bournemouth, as reported by the BBC. Police questioned him about his prayer&#8217;s nature during the incident. A public space protection order was active around the facility at that time, which had been established just a month prior to Smith-Connor&#8217;s private vigil. Activities related to supporting or opposing abortion are banned within this zone. The Bournemouth council claims most residents back this measure. Smith-Connor stated he was praying for his unborn son, who had been aborted 22 years earlier. District Judge Orla Austin deemed his actions &#8220;deliberate&#8221; and imposed nearly $12,000 in fines along with a two-year conditional discharge on him. This ruling has sparked outrage among Smith-Connor and various experts and politicians alike. He expressed disbelief that silent thoughts could be criminalized in the UK while drawing attention to historical persecution for faith-related beliefs originating from Britain. Although prayer remains legal in America currently, future challenges may arise due to evolving views on abortion rights<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2357331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Adam-Smith-Connor-for-oct.-18.-2024.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[40579,10883,43403],"class_list":["post-2357330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-army-vet","tag-grief","tag-silent-prayer"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Adam-Smith-Connor-for-oct.-18.-2024.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2357330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2357330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2357330\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2357331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2357330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2357330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2357330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}