Police in Bristol, United Kingdom, Interview Pastor Under Caution Over Street Preaching Remarks on Islam

Bristol pastor Dia Moodley, a Christian minister, was arrested by Avon and Somerset Police in November, according to reports published by Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF International). The reports differ on the date. Report 1, dated January 8, 2025, describes the arrest as taking place “last November,” while Report 2, from November 2025, and Report 3 place it in November 2025. Report 3 gives the date as November 22, 2025. The arrest followed comments Moodley made about Islam and transgender ideology while street preaching in Broadmead, Bristol.

Report 2 states that Moodley, who is 58 and has a heart condition, was arrested on suspicion of inciting religious hatred. Report 3 says he was arrested on suspicion of a religiously aggravated public order offence and inciting religious hatred. Neither report states that he has been charged. Both describe him as having been detained for eight hours before his release under bail conditions. Those conditions restricted his ability to preach in the city centre during the Christmas period. Report 2 says the bail conditions were later lifted.

According to Report 1, police officers visited Moodley’s home on January 8 and questioned him further about the November incident. They invited him to a voluntary interview under caution. Report 1 says he was weighing whether to attend with his legal team. The reports do not say whether that interview took place at that time.

Report 3 says that Moodley was interviewed under caution by Avon and Somerset Police earlier in April 2026. It describes the interview as part of a four-month criminal investigation stemming from the Broadmead incident. Report 3 also states that this was Moodley’s second arrest for peaceful street preaching. The reports do not provide details of the first arrest, and they do not say whether it led to any outcome. Report 1 does not describe a prior arrest.

Police and prosecutors have not, according to these reports, reached a decision on the matter. Report 4, which is incomplete, repeats that police interviewed Moodley under caution as part of a four-month criminal investigation. The truth and fairness of any findings will depend on the outcome of that process, which the reports do not yet describe (Proverbs 18:17).