A British pastor has spoken out after repeated arrests for peacefully preaching the Gospel on public streets, exposing “two-tier policing” that silences Christians while tolerating threats from others. Pastor Dia Moodley, who ministers in Bristol, was detained for 13 hours in 2024 after answering a passerby’s question about the difference between Jesus Christ and Muhammad, citing historical facts from Islamic sources. Charged under the Public Order Act 1986 and Crime and Disorder Act 1998 for “religiously aggravated harassment,” he was released without further action.
In a later incident, Moodley was assaulted by Muslim men who threatened to stab him, attempted to strike his wife, and tried to seize his Bible and Quran while he preached doctrinal differences. Police warned him of a “breach of the peace” despite being the victim, while the aggressor escaped arrest.
Another arrest followed in November 2025 during a sermon comparing Christian and Islamic teachings on the afterlife. Moodley, who invites questions during his outreach, insists he is “not a politician or an activist” but simply a pastor sharing the Gospel. “Our freedom is not only being limited; it is being violated,” he stated. “If answering a question with a historical fact can land you in a cell, then something very serious is happening.” He highlighted “two-tier policing” as a reality in modern Britain.
The case, supported by ADF International, underscores a growing crisis for religious liberty in the UK, where public order laws are weaponized against Christian expression. Paul Sapper of ADF International warned: “The process becomes the punishment,” noting excessive police discretion creates a chilling effect on free speech. This pattern of harassment reveals a troubling bias, where defending biblical truths invites persecution amid rising cultural shifts away from Britain’s Christian heritage.