Police Arrest Christian Pastor After Commenting on Islam and Transgender Ideology During Street Preaching

Pastor Dia Moodley, a Christian minister in Bristol, was arrested by Avon and Somerset Police officers in November 2025 for peacefully commenting on Islam and transgender ideology while street preaching in Broadmead. The arrest occurred under suspicion of inciting religious hatred, despite the pastor’s actions being a public expression of his Christian beliefs.

The 58-year-old pastor, who suffers from a heart condition, was detained for eight hours before being released under bail conditions that restricted his ability to preach in the city center during the Christmas period. These conditions were later lifted, but police officers visited his home on January 8, questioning him further about the incident.

Pastor Moodley is currently deciding whether to attend a voluntary interview with the police, as he awaits potential criminal charges for his speech. ADF International is supporting him legally, considering action against the police for alleged violations of his free speech rights.

This is not the first time Avon and Somerset Police have targeted Pastor Moodley for his peaceful street preaching. In March 2025, he was twice threatened with arrest for discussing the differences between Christianity and Islam while holding a Quran, an incident that led to his assault by Muslim bystanders.

The police have not charged any of the individuals involved in the assault, despite the pastor’s claims of being threatened with violence. Prior to the incident, Pastor Moodley met with the US State Department, facilitated by ADF International, to discuss his experience with censorship in the UK.

Pastor Moodley expressed the profound personal impact of his latest arrest, stating that it feels surreal to be criminalized for peacefully expressing his Christian views. He believes the police view him as an easy target and are afraid of others being offended by his lawful speech, describing it as two-tier policing.

Legal counsel for ADF International, Jeremiah Igunnubole, criticized the use of public order legislation to suppress free speech, calling it a pattern of behavior by the police. He emphasized the need for parliamentary action to protect freedom of expression, citing the government’s ambiguous definition of anti-Muslim hatred as a risk to legitimate speech (Proverbs 31:8-9).

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