JD Vance Criticized for Misleading Claims on UK Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones

The US vice-president accused Britain of suppressing religious freedoms, but UK officials and advocates dispute his assertions.

JD Vance, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, criticized UK laws establishing buffer zones around abortion clinics, claiming they infringe on religious freedoms.
Vance highlighted the case of Adam Smith-Connor, a British veteran convicted for silently praying outside a clinic, as an example of alleged censorship.
UK officials and advocates refuted Vance's claims, emphasizing that private prayer is not criminalized and that buffer zones are designed to protect women from harassment.
Critics accused Vance of spreading misinformation, with Scottish officials specifically denying his assertion that private prayer inside homes near clinics is prohibited.
The controversy underscores tensions between free speech rights and protections for women accessing abortion services.