Christian Pastor Arrested While Street Preaching in Watford
A Christian pastor was arrested while street preaching in Watford, an incident that has sparked debate on social media. Steve Maile, senior pastor of Oasis City Church, was detained by police during a public gospel message in the town centre. Authorities cited allegations of assault and a public order offence, although the assault allegation was later dropped.
Steve Maile, a Christian pastor of Oasis City Church in Watford was arrested while street preaching the Gospel in the town’s central square on Saturday 18 April 2026. Video of the incident, widely shared online, shows Steve Maile being handcuffed by three police officers while continuing to preach and insisting that “no offence has been committed”, describing the arrest as a “disgrace”.
Police stated that the arrest was made on suspicion of assault and a Section 5 public order offence (racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behaviour). The pastor denies all allegations of assault, and Hertfordshire Constabulary later confirmed that “no further action is being taken in relation to the assault”, while the public order investigation remained ongoing at the time of release on bail.
Following his release after approximately 12 hours in custody, Maile said he was “absolutely brutalised and victimised by the British police” and described the experience as “excruciating pain”, adding that his wrists were bruised. He also maintained that the allegations were “totally false” and stated: “You will never ever stop Steve Maile from preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
The incident has drawn attention among Christian observers, who argue it reflects wider tensions around public street preaching and the treatment of visible Christian expression in public spaces. Maile, who has been involved in street preaching for around 45 years, framed the event as part of a broader pattern affecting street preachers in the UK. “I’ve been hassled by the police loads and loads of times, but never arrested.”
Maile is not the first street preacher to have had a run-in with the police following complaints from members of the public. In a previous case, Pastor Dia Moodley was arrested in Bristol in November on suspicion of “inciting religious hatred” after publicly discussing differences between Islam and Christianity. Moodley claimed he was assaulted by a group of Muslim men who injured and threatened him, although he was the only person arrested in connection with the incident (OIDAC reported).
The case of Maile has therefore contributed to ongoing debate in the UK around public order enforcement, freedom of religious expression, and perceived inconsistencies in how street preaching is treated by authorities in different contexts.
Source: christiantoday, vision.org, premierchristian, instagram
Photo: TIKTOK