Police in the United Kingdom have dropped criminal charges against a Christian street preacher after a monthslong investigation into his public sermons, a decision supporters are calling a major victory for free speech and religious liberty.
As reported by Decision Magazine, Pastor Dia Moodley, 58, had been arrested in November while preaching in Bristol city center. Authorities accused him of “inciting religious hatred” after he publicly discussed Christianity, Islam and transgender ideology.
After four months under investigation, Avon and Somerset Police informed Moodley that “no further action will be taken,” according to Alliance Defending Freedom International, the Christian legal organization representing him.
“I’m glad Avon and Somerset Police decided to eventually do the right thing and drop their criminal investigation,” Moodley said in a statement released by ADF International. “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.”
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Moodley was detained for eight hours and initially barred from entering Bristol city center during the Christmas season. Although those restrictions were later lifted, ADF International said the ongoing investigation effectively silenced his public preaching during Christmas and the weeks leading up to Easter because of fears of rearrest.
The case marked the second time Moodley had been arrested over his public comments regarding Islam and gender ideology. In a separate 2024 incident outside the University of Bristol, police also dropped an investigation after he stated that sex is binary while discussing Islam.
Jeremiah Igunnubole called the police decision a “vindication” of Moodley’s conduct and warned that the case reflects a broader erosion of free speech protections in the U.K.
“The war of attrition against free speech in the U.K., demonstrated in Pastor Dia’s case, must end,” Igunnubole said. “Censorial laws need to be repealed urgently, and stronger protections, including a Free Speech Bill, are needed to reverse the growing culture of censorship within law enforcement.”
Despite repeated arrests and confrontations while preaching publicly, Moodley said he will continue proclaiming the Gospel 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 U.K.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
