Police drop criminal investigation into Christian pastor following arrest for commenting on Islam and transgender ideology while street preaching

Pastor Dia Moodley was arrested for inciting religious hatred in November 2025 after giving a street sermon in Bristol criticising Islam and transgender ideology, according to his legal counsel.

After more than four months of criminal investigation, Avon and Somerset Police informed Pastor Moodley that “no further action will be taken”.

Supporting the pastor’s legal defence, ADF International said: “Pastor Moodley was subjected to arrest, eight hours in a police cell, a police visit to his home, interrogation at the police station and the initial imposition of bail conditions that banned him from entering and therefore preaching in Bristol city centre over Christmas.

“Although the bail conditions were dropped, following Pastor Moodley’s representations to the police, the ongoing criminal investigation resulted in de facto censorship, as the pastor refrained from publicly preaching over Christmas and in the weeks leading to Easter, due to the risk of rearrest if he engaged in street preaching while the investigation continued.”

Pastor Moodley is now consulting with his legal team about taking legal action against Avon and Somerset Police, for “the violation of his free speech rights” and for the police’s “failure to promptly investigate serious crimes against him”.

Barrister and Legal Counsel for ADF International, Jeremiah Igunnubole, commented: “Avon and Somerset Police’s decision to drop their investigation is a vindication of Pastor Dia’s lawful conduct. He has been repeatedly arrested, imprisoned, and told that expressing his Christian views is a criminal matter. On every occasion, he has challenged this state overreach and prevailed.

“It is deeply troubling, however, that police treated Pastor Dia’s constructive comments on Islam and gender ideology—remarks which were made in good faith, were an expression of his core Christian beliefs and which explicitly invited dialogue—as a criminal matter, while dismissing a clear and dangerous threat made against him by a Muslim bystander as merely an ‘unpleasant’ incident.

“This two-tier approach to policing inevitably produces unjust and discriminatory outcomes. It can only be addressed by repealing the underlying censorial legislation and renewed efforts to retrain ideologically motivated police forces who too often find themselves unable or unwilling to differentiate between a lawful exercise of fundamental rights and actual violent criminality.”

He added: “The war of attrition against free speech in the UK, demonstrated in Pastor Dia’s case, must end. Censorial laws need to be repealed urgently, and stronger protections, including a Free Speech Bill, are needed to reverse the growing culture of censorship within law enforcement.

“We remain fully committed to standing with Pastor Dia as he considers legal action against the police for these violations of his rights and their failure to protect him from serious crime.”

According to the Telegraph, Pastor Moodley was among activists who met US state department officials sent to the UK in March last year amid growing concern in Washington that free speech in Britain was under threat.

Pastor Dia Moodley said: “I’m glad Avon and Somerset Police decided to eventually do the right thing and drop their criminal investigation. This is a win for free speech, but I never should have been arrested, treated like a criminal, and investigated for months for peacefully sharing my faith in the public square.
“[…] I will continue to share my faith publicly, undeterred by the police’s censorship and the threats and violence I have faced, and will stand for free speech not just for myself, but for the rights of all people in the UK.”

Avon and Somerset Police has been approached for comment.