**British Pastor Warned Bible Verse on Campervan Could Be “Hate Speech”**
A British pastor was recently advised by a police officer that displaying a Bible verse on his campervan might be considered “hate speech” if someone chose to report it. The conversation took place at a petrol station in Burnley, Lancashire, and was described as advisory rather than a formal investigation.
Mick Fleming, 59, is a former drug dealer-turned-pastor who now lives in his van as part of his ministry. On the back of his vehicle, Fleming displays John 3:16, which reads: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
Late last month, a police officer approached Fleming, tapped him on the shoulder, and offered what the pastor described as a friendly warning, according to The Telegraph. The officer reportedly told him, “A bit of advice—the writing could be seen as hate speech in the wrong context. I am just giving you a heads up.” Fleming said the officer emphasized that the warning was not connected to any investigation or arrest, but rather was a caution that the display could potentially lead to a police inquiry if someone filed a complaint.
Fleming later recounted the exchange on his YouTube channel, asking his audience whether a Bible verse such as John 3:16 could reasonably be considered offensive. He stated that he has no plans to remove the text from his van and does not view it as hostile or harmful. “Do you think people would take offence to that, and if they did, why?” he asked.
The pastor expressed concern that a foundational message of Christian teaching could be viewed through a legal lens as inciting hate. “Maybe society is moving to a place where they don’t want faith-based people sat around a table in discussion with them,” he said, referring to the increased scrutiny on public expressions of faith.
Fleming leads Church on the Street Ministries, a Burnley-based Christian charity that provides support to people who are homeless and struggling with addiction. His past includes years spent in organized crime before his religious transformation in 2009. His work has been featured on BBC’s “Songs of Praise,” and King Charles, as Prince of Wales, publicly praised the charity’s outreach efforts. Fleming is known for giving up his possessions and living in his campervan, which he uses both as his home and as a mobile site for Christian outreach, with the Bible verse of John 3:16 displayed prominently.
In response to his video, viewers largely expressed support. One person commented, “There’s nothing wrong with the sign, it’s all positive, so I don’t get why it’s a problem. It’s not offensive in the slightest,” according to the Lancashire Telegraph. Another remarked that labeling John 3:16 as hate speech made no sense, calling it “the complete opposite,” and describing the verse as “love speech.” Others said the idea of investigating someone for sharing a well-known Bible verse seemed to contradict basic rights to free expression.
In the United Kingdom, displaying Bible verses in public may face scrutiny if the content is considered threatening or likely to incite hatred against individuals based on protected characteristics such as religion or sexual orientation. Laws such as the Public Order Act of 1986 and the Racial and Religious Hatred Act of 2006 allow for prosecution if language is used with the intent to stir up hatred. Advocacy groups like Christian Concern have argued that these laws are sometimes misapplied by police in ways that unfairly restrict religious speech.
The debate continues about how religious messages can be shared in public spaces, and what constitutes free expression versus hate speech under UK law. For Mick Fleming and his supporters, the display of John 3:16 remains a statement of faith and hope, not hostility.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-warned-his-bible-verse-may-violate-hate-speech-law.html
