A 66-year-old U.K. pastor arrested while street preaching in London, said he is facing hate speech-related charges for preaching the Bible and speaking out against Islam.
"It's called inciting religious hatred - which is false," Pastor Steve Maile told Fox News Digital. "The cross of Christ is a message of hope, love, mercy, and reconciliation to a fallen world... How could that be hate?"
Maile is a gospel singer and the senior pastor of Oasis City Church in Watford, England, a town outside London. For 45 years, the New Zealand native has preached and performed mission work globally. He told Fox News Digital that he often performs famous songs with lyrics altered to convey a Christian message.
However, a complaint led to his arrest while he was preaching on a high street in Watford on April 18. According to the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Maile's case, he was singing and preaching a gospel message for about 10 minutes when he discussed Islam's history of violence and called on Muslims to be saved by Jesus.
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Video footage of the incident, first reported by Britannia Daily, shows Maile being approached and handcuffed behind his back by Hertfordshire Constabulary officers. One officer tells Maile he is being arrested on allegations of assaulting a child.
As he was handcuffed, Maile continued to preach and insisted no crimes had been committed.
"You repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you'll be saved," he told the officers. "I have not assaulted anyone. Take these off now! Take these off in the name of Jesus."
A female police officer appeared to mockingly respond, "In the name of Jesus, get in the car."
Maile told Fox News Digital that his wife and children watched him preach and filmed the encounter. He said he was shocked by his treatment in custody after decades of ministry.
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"Literally, in seconds, I mean, they didn't even talk to me or warn me or read me my rights," he told Fox News Digital. "I was double handcuffed. In excruciating pain because these double handcuffs are pretty horrendous things. I was literally in shock. I thought, goodness, what have I done? What's going on?"
Maile said he was detained for 12 hours without his phone and was not allowed to use the restroom. Police initially told Maile he was under arrest for assaulting a teenager, a charge Maile denied and which was later dropped. Maile remains under investigation for an alleged public order offense.
The Hertfordshire Police confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital, "A man aged in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of assault and a Section 5 public order offense (racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behavior)." Police said he was released on bail while an investigation into the public order offense continues and "the conduct of the officers was reviewed and it was deemed no further action was necessary."
Under U.K. law, a person can be found guilty of a Section 5 offense if they use threatening or abusive words likely to cause "harassment, alarm, or distress." While it typically results in a fine, a "religiously aggravated" charge can carry more severe penalties. Maile noted he could face months or even years of imprisonment.
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Regarding allegations that he preached "hate," Maile said he does not shy away from preaching the exclusivity of the gospel message.
"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," he told Fox News Digital. "Everybody needs to come by the way of the cross ... And nobody gets a free pass."
Maile said he needed wrist splints for three weeks after being handcuffed for around 90 minutes. He is currently taking legal advice while on bail and says it could take up to a year before his case is heard by a judge.
"They chose the wrong man because I'm not going to capitulate," Maile said. "I've got great news. God is on my side."
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The Christian Legal Centre called the arrest "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," said Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre. "The footage raises fundamental questions about whether policing in this country is now criminalizing Christianity while failing to apply the law equally and consistently."
