by Natasha Leake and Connor Stringer, Telegraph
US government officials said they are “monitoring” the “concerning” prosecution of a British pastor who preached at an abortion clinic buffer zone.
Clive Johnston, a 77-year-old pastor from Strabane, Northern Ireland, was accused of breaching buffer zone laws by preaching a sermon on John 3:16 in the vicinity of the Causeway Hospital in Londonderry in July 2024.
He is now on trial at Coleraine magistrates’ court, with the second day set to be held next Wednesday, where he faces two charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act.
If convicted, the grandfather of seven faces a criminal record and £2,500 fine.
A state department spokesman told The Telegraph: “The United States is still monitoring many buffer zone cases in the UK, as well as other acts of censorship throughout Europe.
“The UK’s persecution of silent prayer represents not only an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty, but also a concerning departure from the shared values that ought to underpin US-UK relations.”
The US intervention marks the latest example of the Trump administration’s willingness to intervene in UK domestic affairs over freedom of speech.