At a recent press conference, US Vice President JD Vance openly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about problems with free speech. During the Munich Security Conference on February 14, Vance stressed the importance of free speech in Europe.
He said, “We have a special relationship with the UK and our European friends, but there have been issues with free speech. This affects not only British people but also American technology companies and citizens.” He mentioned that they would discuss this topic further at lunch.
Vance also talked about the case of a military veteran named Adam Smith-Connor. Smith-Connor was arrested for quietly praying near an abortion clinic, which raised Vance’s concerns about the rights of religious people in the UK.
Vance described the situation: “A British government charged Smith-Connor with the terrible crime of standing 50 meters from an abortion clinic and praying silently for three minutes. He wasn’t bothering anyone; he was just praying by himself.”
In response, Prime Minister Starmer defended the UK’s commitment to free speech, saying, “We’ve maintained free speech for a long time and will continue to do so.” However, doubts linger after the UK government took strict actions against riots in the summer of 2024, which included using facial recognition and asking social media to control harmful content.
Recent reports also suggest that the UK may arrest and extradite US citizens for online comments that could lead to violence.
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