OVO Hydro, operated by Scottish Event Campus Ltd (SEC), was among five venues that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) took legal action against in 2020, after its gospel events were cancelled because of Franklin Graham’s mainstream Christian beliefs on marriage and sexuality.

Now following favourable results from all of its lawsuits, the US evangelist visited Glasgow as part of this year’s ‘God Loves You’ tour.

God’s love

Graham welcomed the outcome, saying: “This is a victory, not just for us, but for all Christians and churches across the U.K.”

An SEC spokesman stated: “We believe our performers have the right to freedom of expression. This includes Rev Graham. But we express no view on their content, beliefs or values.”

At the event, Graham told attendees: “Maybe you’re here tonight and you’re wanting to know, who is Jesus? Jesus Christ is God’s son and he came on a rescue mission to save you from your sins.

“The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.”

Discrimination

In 2022, the BGEA was awarded £97,325.32 in damages over the axed event.

A Glasgow Sheriff Court found that the SEC directly discriminated against the BGEA by treating it “less favourably than it would have treated others because of a protected characteristic, namely, the religious or philosophical beliefs of the [BGEA] and Franklin Graham”.

Sheriff John McCormick stated that the SEC had “acted under pressure” from Glasgow City Council, its principal shareholder, to cancel the event.