Vice President JD Vance took to the stage in Germany on Friday for the annual Munich Security Conference and promptly eviscerated the European continent for a variety of failures. As RedState’s Bonchie wrote, it was “a blistering speech that drew groans from the crowd, [in which] Vance ripped European hypocrisy on democracy and freedom of expression, pleading with them to get their houses in order.”

Other than that, it was a mild affair.

One subject that the vice president brought up has been drawing attention: the case of Adam Smith-Connor, who was convicted in October 2024 for praying silently near an abortion clinic for his unborn son. He was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £9,000 and at the time charged that the verdict had “criminalized thought.”

Vance lit into the U.K. for this ridiculous example of “justice”:

VANCE: I'm here today not just with an observation but with an offer. Just as the Biden administration seemed desperate to silence people for speaking their minds so the Trump administration will do precisely the opposite and I hope that we can work together on that. In Washington, there is a new sheriff in town, and under Donald Trump's leadership we may disagree with your views but we will fight to defend your right to offer it in the public square, agree or disagree.

‼️🚨BREAKING: VP Vance just called out the UK authorities for prosecuting Adam Smith-Connor!

Adam was convicted in October for simply praying in his head near an abortion facility.

We’re proud to be have supported Adam’s legal defence, and will be appealing the ruling in July. pic.twitter.com/5IH5vvMSp1

— ADF International (@ADFIntl) February 14, 2025

Smackdown: MUST-SEE: JD Vance Triggers Munich Security Conference, Rips European Hypocrites to Their Faces

Trump Upsets Euroweenies: France's Macron Calls for Meeting of Panicking European Leaders

Now Adam Smith-Connor is speaking out, and he saluted Vance for calling attention to the matter and declared there’s a censorship crisis in the U.K.:

“I am tremendously grateful that the vice-president is showcasing the deterioration of fundamental freedoms in the UK and … holding the UK accountable for prosecuting innocent people,” Mr Smith-Connor said.

“The UK is a democracy founded on deep respect for fundamental freedoms.

“It is right and good that the US should be exposing the reality of what is going on,” he added, claiming that Britain was “undergoing a crisis of censorship”.

He also took to social media to thank Vance for his support:

I’m humbled & grateful to JD Vance,a fellow brother in arms veteran,for talking about my case yesterday.I had the privilege of serving alongside the Americans in Afghanistan.They were incredibly generous & I’m so grateful to them for the support now.

Freedom must be defended pic.twitter.com/3A2f7WlUqg

— Adam Smith-Connor (@ChooseLifeSoton) February 15, 2025

Vance was right to call out Europe on a variety of issues because frankly, they seem to have lost their way on too many of them–with unfettered immigration and rampant censorship at the top of the list. It’s a dubious proposition to ban protesting in front of certain institutions in the first place, but to extend the definition of "protest" to a man standing there silently praying to himself is ludicrous.

Good for these two gents for calling it out.