UK street preacher Dia Moodley remains under investigation after November arrest in Bristol
Christian street preacher Dia Moodley remains under investigation following his arrest on 22 November 2025 in Bristol, in connection with his public preaching on topics including Christianity, other religions, and gender ideology. He was detained for around eight hours on suspicion of a religiously aggravated public order offence and later released under investigation, with no charging decision yet made.
Christian street preacher Dia Moodley remains under investigation following his arrest on 22 November 2025 in Bristol, in connection with his public preaching and wider allegations of disproportionate police response to his religious expression. Since 2019, he has been in contact with Avon and Somerset Police after reporting incidents of racial abuse against him during street evangelism, after which officers began attending his public preaching regularly with the stated aim of providing protection.
In March 2024, Moodley was arrested and detained for approximately 13 hours after preaching outside the University of Bristol. The incident followed comments in which he contrasted Christianity with Islam in response to a question from a member of the public and affirmed his belief in Christian teachings regarding sex and morality. In response to his statements, he was physically assaulted by members of the public, including being pushed from a stepladder and having his property damaged. Despite the aggression being directed against him, Moodley was arrested on suspicion of a religiously aggravated offence before the investigation was later dropped and police apologised for damage to his materials.
In March 2025, Moodley was involved in another confrontation during street preaching in Bristol city centre after a group of Muslim bystanders objected to his message. According to case accounts, he was pushed from his stepladder, restrained on the ground, and subjected to intimidation and harassment, with individuals attempting to take his Qur’an while claiming it was their book rather than his. In response, police officers reportedly told Moodley on two separate occasions that he could be arrested for breach of the peace, despite him being the one targeted during the incident, and no identifying details were taken from the individuals involved at the scene.
The November 2025 incident occurred during another public preaching engagement in Bristol city centre, where Moodley was addressing themes including the concept of biological sex and transgender ideology, as well as theological comparisons between Christianity and other religions, including Islam. According to the available account, he also engaged in a discussion about Islam with several members of the public before tensions escalated after objections were raised to his remarks.
A member of the public contacted the police, who arrived and focused on complaints raised against Moodley’s speech. Officers reportedly did not engage with Moodley’s own account of events or that of his supporters before proceeding with his arrest. He was detained on suspicion of assault by beating and of a racially or religiously aggravated offence under the Public Order Act 1986, with the allegation framed as potential incitement of religious hatred in connection with his preaching. He was held in custody for around eight hours before being released under investigation.
Moodley, who has a heart condition, reportedly experienced significant distress during the arrest and requested that his handcuffs be placed in front of his body due to breathing difficulties, a request that was ultimately granted. Following his release, he stated:
“It isn’t for the state to decide which religions and ideologies must not be discussed or critiqued in public. When I preach, I am committed to speaking about the good news of Christianity in love, grace, and truth – but that doesn’t mean that I will never say something that others may disagree with. The nature of a free and democratic society is that we can speak publicly about our beliefs.”
In a separate interview, he has also argued more broadly that: “On the ground level we know that as Christians our freedom of speech is being threatened. That no matter what we say and how carefully we even say it, we’re going to great lengths to make sure that we don’t get arrested. Yet we’re still getting arrested.”
His legal representatives have described the case as part of a wider pattern, with legal counsel stating: “This is far from an isolated incident. 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.”
Following the November arrest, Moodley was released on bail conditions that temporarily restricted access to parts of Bristol city centre, which were later lifted. In January 2026, he was further questioned by police under caution. As of the latest update, no charging decision has been announced and the investigation remains ongoing.
Source: foxnews, gbnews.com, ADF International March 2024: OIDAC Europe, March 2025: X, November 2025: youtube.com
Photo: ADF International