A Christian pastor, arrested in Bristol, England, in November on suspicion of “inciting religious hatred” following a street sermon, is still awaiting a decision on whether criminal charges will be filed, according to a legal advocacy group supporting him.
Pastor Dia Moodley, 58, was detained for eight hours and subsequently released on bail with conditions that temporarily prohibited him from entering the city during the Christmas season.
ADF UK, the British branch of the faith-based legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, is representing Moodley.
The group advocates for religious freedom and contends that the pastor’s case exemplifies a broader trend of police actions that risk criminalizing legitimate religious expression.
Although the initial bail restrictions were later rescinded, police approached him again in January, inviting him to a voluntary interview under caution as their investigation into the November incident continued.
This marks the second time he has been arrested in connection with his public statements, ADF UK stated, and follows earlier disagreements with police regarding limitations placed on his public comments about other religions.
Avon and Somerset Police told The Christian Post Digital on Tuesday that they could neither confirm nor deny the identity of anyone arrested but, based on the provided date and location, issued the following statement:
“A 58-year-old man was arrested at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, in Broadmead, Bristol, on suspicion of assault by beating and a racially/religiously aggravated public order offense,” the police stated. “He was later released on police bail until the end of December, with a condition not to attend areas of the city center, including Broadmead. These conditions, however, were ultimately lifted by a supervisory officer in mid-December following representations from the arrested man.”
The agency added that the man is no longer on bail, having been released under investigation in early January, and that a counter-allegation has been recorded, with inquiries ongoing. The statement did not offer further details regarding the alleged assault.
The public order offense mentioned by the police falls under the Public Order Act 1986.
The government defines this offense under Section 29B as: “A person who uses threatening words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, is guilty of an offence if he intends thereby to stir up religious hatred [or hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation].”
Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF International, asserted that Pastor Dia’s arrest for “peacefully commenting on Islam and transgender ideology” demonstrates that police are utilizing public order legislation to implement “de facto blasphemy laws” in the UK.
“This is far from an isolated incident,” Igunnubole commented. “It is part of a clear pattern of behavior from Avon and Somerset Police, who for years have targeted Pastor Dia for his peaceful expression in the public square and have failed in their duty to investigate serious crimes committed against him by those who objected to his speech.”