John Sherwood, a 71 year-old Christian pastor, was arrested after he preached from the Bible.
Sherwood was led away in handcuffs, questioned in a police station, and jailed overnight, after being accused of making “homophobic comments” outside Uxbridge Station in west London. He was bruised when police pulled him down from the stepladder he was using as an improvised pulpit and cuffed his hands behind his back.
Police said that they received a complaint that Sherwood was making “homophobic comments,” and arrested him under the Public Order Act, which makes it unlawful to use, “abusive or insulting words” that “cause harm.”
Sherwood, who has been a pastor for 35 years, said, “I wasn't making any homophobic comments, I was just defining marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. I was only saying what the Bible says; I wasn't wanting to hurt anyone or cause offense.”
“I was doing what my job description says, which is to preach the gospel in open air as well as in a church building.”
“When the police approached me, I explained that I was exercising my religious liberty and my conscience. I was forcibly pulled down from the steps and suffered some injury to my wrist and to my elbow. I do believe I was treated shamefully. It should never have happened.”