Free Speech

Pastor Found Guilty of Violating U.K. Speech Laws for Preaching John 3:16 Sermon Near Hospital

Clive Johnston's conviction marks the first of its kind under buffer zone laws involving speech entirely unrelated to abortion.

Reem Ibrahim | 5.7.2026 2:40 PM

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(Midjourney)

The United Kingdom, which has been cracking down on speech for years, dealt free speech another blow on Thursday when a district judge found Clive Johnston, a retired Northern Irish pastor, guilty of preaching John 3:16 in public.

The 78-year-old was convicted of two charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zone) Act (Northern Ireland) for holding an open-air service near Causeway Hospital in Coleraine in 2024. This law makes it a crime to do anything that could be seen as "influencing" or "preventing or impeding" people seeking abortion services........

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