from Christian Today
A pastor is considering legal action against the police after he was arrested over public comments he made about Islam and transgender ideology while street preaching.
Pastor Dia Moodley was arrested by Avon and Somerset Police in Bristol last November.
He was arrested on suspicion of inciting religious hatred under the Public Order Act 1986 after sharing his Christian views on Islam and transgender ideology while preaching in Bristol city centre.
He was then held in custody for eight hours and released on bail with conditions banning him from entering the city centre, meaning he could not engage in street preaching during the Christmas period.
These bail conditions were later lifted after Pastor Moodley made representations to the police, but he was questioned by two police officers at his home on 8 January and invited to a voluntary interview under caution.
Supported by the Alliance Defending Freedom UK (ADF), Pastor Moodley is considering whether to attend the interview and is waiting to hear whether he will be criminally charged over the incident.
Commenting on the case, ADF said his comments were both “peaceful” and “lawful”.
Pastor Moodley said his arrest had been “extremely challenging personally” and that he was a victim of “two-tier policing”.
“I am a law-abiding citizen and it feels surreal that the police have criminalised me so harshly and repeatedly merely for peacefully expressing my Christian views in the public square,” he said.