A retired Baptist pastor, Clive Johnston, has been charged with violating a controversial buffer zone law near an abortion clinic in Coleraine, Northern Ireland.
At 76 years old, Johnston, who previously served as the president of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, faces two charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act.
These charges include allegedly attempting to “influence” individuals seeking abortion services and failing to leave the designated area when instructed by the police.
According to The Christian Institute, which is defending Johnston, his sermon occurred on July 7, 2024, on a patch of grass near Causeway Hospital. This location was separated from the hospital by a dual carriageway, and approximately a dozen people attended the service, which featured hymn singing and included a wooden cross as part of the gathering.
Despite the sermon containing no placards or any references to abortion, authorities have classified the service as a violation of the buffer zone regulations. Johnston is set to appear at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where he may face fines totaling thousands of pounds.
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, labeled the prosecution “an outrageous restriction on freedom of religion and freedom of speech.” He contended that the application of the buffer zone law, designed to prevent harassment or protests near abortion clinics, is being misapplied in this case.
Calvert stated, “It’s just not reasonable or rational to suggest that preaching the Gospel, with no reference to abortion, is a protest against abortion. The Police and the Public Prosecution Service are over-stepping the mark. This is not what buffer zones were designed to do.”
The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, introduced by the Green Party in 2022, created 100-150 meter buffer zones around hospitals and abortion clinics in Northern Ireland. The law prohibits activities that impede, record, influence, or cause harassment, alarm, or distress within these zones.
However, critics are increasingly questioning whether the law is being used to suppress expressions of faith or speech that are not related to abortion.
