UK police drop investigation into pastor arrested while preaching about Islam
A U.K. pastor has been cleared of wrongdoing after police dropped a months-long criminal investigation into a street sermon he delivered in Bristol, England, last November.
Pastor Dia Moodley, 58, was originally arrested on suspicion of committing a “religiously aggravated” offense under the Public Order Act, according to the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International.
ADF International said Moodley was arrested after “peacefully commenting on Islam and transgender ideology” while street preaching.
Following his arrest, Moodley was detained in a police cell for eight hours and later released on bail while authorities investigated the allegations. On May 16, ADF said Avon and Somerset Police informed Moodley that they were officially dropping the case.
UK PASTOR SAYS HE WAS ARRESTED FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL, SPEAKING OUT AGAINST ISLAM
Avon and Somerset Police told Fox News Digital they could not identify individuals who are not charged under U.K. law, but confirmed that a 58-year-old man was arrested in Bristol on Nov. 22 on suspicion of common assault and a “racially/religiously aggravated public order offense.”
Police said that after reviewing the available evidence and the account provided by the arrested man, investigators determined that “the evidential threshold for a realistic prospect of conviction was not met” for any alleged offenses. Authorities said the man was informed in April that there would be “no further action.”
This marks the second time Moodley has been arrested while preaching about Islam and transgender ideology during his evangelism efforts. In March 2024, he was also arrested under similar circumstances before police later dropped the investigation and issued an apology, according to ADF International.
Moodley and his supporters argue the repeated investigations reflect growing restrictions on Christian free speech in Britain.
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According to ADF International, Moodley has also repeatedly faced hostility and threats from bystanders while preaching, most recently during an Easter sermon in Bristol on April 4.
While delivering the sermon, Moodley compared Jesus to other religious figures and said Jesus was the only one who rose from the dead. Video footage shared online appeared to show a Muslim bystander approaching Moodley and warning him, “If you do that again, bro, we’ll send the boys round… we’ll have someone have a word with you.”
Moodley reported the incident to Avon and Somerset Police.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the police force said officers reviewed video footage and conducted additional inquiries into the April confrontation, but ultimately found there was “insufficient” evidence to continue pursuing a criminal investigation.
Police said efforts to obtain additional footage of the exchange were unsuccessful, but added that the case could be reviewed if new evidence emerges.
Moodley is now seeking legal counsel to determine whether to pursue legal action against the police force. He alleges authorities violated his right to free speech and failed to properly investigate threats made against him.
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Moodley is one of several pastors at the center of legal battles regarding free speech disputes in Britain.
In a separate case in London, Pastor Steve Maile, 66, was arrested and is now facing hate speech-related charges after he spoke out against Islam while preaching in April.
In Northern Ireland, retired pastor Clive Johnston, 78, was convicted and fined on May 7 for preaching a sermon on John 3:16 in a protected abortion “buffer zone.”
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