The land of no-go zones now appears en route to becoming a no-Gospel nation as a pastor contended his preaching resulted in his arrest for allegedly “inciting religious hatred” against Islam.
Whether making comments on social media or mentally praying near an abortion clinic, the thought police in the United Kingdom have continued shamelessly cracking down on the God-given rights of the citizenry. Yet another example has found Pastor Steve Maile vowing not to “capitulate” after street preaching on the historic violence of Islamists resulted in his arrest, which he deemed “an utter disgrace in this nation.”
“It’s called inciting religious hatred — which is false,” the pastor of Oasis City Church in Watford, England, told Fox News Digital regarding his April 18 arrest.
Video taken at the time of the arrest shows the officer handcuffing 66-year-old Maile as he expressed, “I am a preacher of the Gospel. Watch this. Watch this. There is no offense being committed here. None whatsoever.”
(1) BREAKING: Christian pastor is arrested for ‘criticising Islam’ while preaching in Watford town centre – as police officer tells him ‘in the name of Jesus, get in the car’
A video of a 66‑year‑old Christian pastor, Steve Maile, being arrested in Watford town centre has gone… pic.twitter.com/wXy7XUv4DP
— Christian Concern (@CConcern) April 24, 2026
“Listen,” he told the officers, “you repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you’ll be saved.”
As the police continued to attempt to tell Maile his charges, he continued, “You know what, this is an utter disgrace in this nation.”
Following the arrest, the pastor claimed to have been detained for 12 hours and not permitted access to a restroom, and said he needed to wear wrist splints for three weeks after the arrest because of damage from the handcuffs. Meanwhile, in speaking with Fox News Digital, he maintained, “The cross of Christ is a message of hope, love, mercy, and reconciliation to a fallen world … How could that be hate?”
Maile contended that they’d been singing and preaching for roughly ten minutes, including on the topic of Islam and whether or not it is a religion of peace, while raising points about past violence and expressing a desire to see Muslims convert to Christianity.
He is being represented by the Christian Legal Centre, which explained in a press release, “Police initially accused Pastor Maile of assaulting a teenager, an allegation he strongly denies and which he says was later dropped.”
“He remains under investigation for alleged hate-related public order offences connected to comments critical of Islam and LGBT lifestyles, which he maintains were Bible-based statements rather than calls to hatred or violence,” the release added.
For their part, a statement from a Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesman read, “On Saturday, April 18, a man aged in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of assault and a Section 5 public order offence (racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behaviour). He has been released on bail while enquiries into the public order offence continue. No further action is being taken in relation to the assault.”
Adding further comment on the preacher, Christian Legal Centre Chief Executive Andrea Williams stated, “Steve’s arrest is deeply troubling. A peaceful, Christian preacher was treated like a serious criminal for expressing his Christian beliefs and that Islam is a false religion in a public place. The footage raises fundamental questions about whether policing in this country is now criminalising Christianity while failing to apply the law equally and consistently. We are supporting Steve as he seeks justice, accountability, and an apology.”
“I don’t preach hate. I don’t preach violence. I preach the love of God, the mercy of God, and the goodness of God in Christ Jesus. Everybody needs to come by the way of the cross … And nobody gets a free pass,” Maile told Fox News Digital as he intends to be heard in court, which could take up to a year. “They chose the wrong man because I’m not going to capitulate. I’ve got great news. God is on my side.”
Similar to Maile, 78-year-old Clive Johnston was convicted on May 7 for preaching the gospel near Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, on July 7, 2024, as the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act prohibits actions that would influence or cause “harassment, alarm, or distress” to someone within 100 meters of a facility that performs abortions. Johnston’s defense argued that he never even addressed abortion as he preached John 3:16.
Pastor Clive Johnston responds after he is convicted and fined for preaching John 3:16 in an abortion ‘Safe Access Zone’ pic.twitter.com/sNQcO5rIlk
— The Christian Institute (@christianorguk) May 7, 2026
As for not backing down, Maile was in attendance Saturday and spoke on stage at Tommy Robinson’s United the Kingdom rally in London, which was said to have gathered a crowd of “millions” calling for restoration of their culture, freedoms of speech, and national sovereignty — especially with regard to the ever-increasing prevalence of Islamism.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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