A 77-year-old retired pastor has faced a second day in court after preaching the gospel within a buffer zone outside hospital.
Pastor Clive Johnston is on trial after being accused of "influencing" people inside the protected area after holding an open-air sermon that included the Bible verse John 3:16.
Christian Institute
Buffer zones around hospitals in Northern Ireland, and similar laws elsewhere in the UK, are designed to prevent protests or behaviour that could influence people accessing abortion services within a set distance of clinics.
Supporters of Pastor Johnston say the case raises wider questions about freedom of speech and religious expression.
The US State Department said it is monitoring the case as well as other "acts of censorship across Europe."
It added: "The UK's persecution of silent prayer represents an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty."
This is not the first time the US government has raised concerns about the UK's record on freedom of Christian expression. US Vice President JD Vance referenced buffer zone laws at the Munich Security Conference last year, citing the case of Adam Smith-Connor, an army veteran prosecuted for praying silently in a similar zone in England, as one of the worst examples of censorship in Europe.
If convicted, Pastor Clive could face a criminal record and financial penalties.
The case continues.