Overview
- After a hearing this week, a district judge reserved a verdict until May 7 in the case against retired pastor Clive Johnston.
- Police bodycam video from July 2024 shows an officer telling Johnston he was inside a clearly marked safe-access zone and could not preach or film there, suggesting the hospital chaplaincy as an alternative.
- Prosecutors say he tried to influence people protected by Northern Ireland’s 2023 safe-access law and refused to leave when directed, with a conviction carrying a possible criminal record and a fine up to £2,500.
- Johnston’s supporters, including the Christian Institute, say his short John 3:16 sermon did not mention abortion and was delivered on a quiet Sunday when the clinic was closed.
- The U.S. State Department says it is monitoring the case and calls it concerning, highlighting a broader debate over how buffer zones meant to prevent harassment are being applied to public religious expression.