Man arrested after Christian preacher is hurled with racial abuse

Friar Street <i>(Image: Wikimedia)</i>
Friar Street (Image: Wikimedia)

A CHRISTIAN preacher has been subjected to racial abuse and harassment in Reading town centre.

Thames Valley Police is investigating a public order incident in Friar Street, where a man was hurled with abuse.

At around 7.10pm on Friday, June 2, police said a Christian preacher was subjected to abuse by an Asian man in Friar Street, Reading, close to the junction of Queen Victoria Street.

The offender then proceeded to pursue several other members of the public, resulting in a number of people witnessing the incident.

There was no physical altercation and nobody was injured.

A 43-year-old man of no fixed abode was arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated harassment/alarm/distress by words/writing.

He has since been released under investigation.

Investigating officer PC Tom Jessop, based at Reading police station, said: “This incident occurred in public in the early evening on Friday.

“Several members of the public gathered around and observed the situation, and I would like to speak to these people as witnesses to the incident.

“If you were one of these people, I would ask you to please get in touch with Thames Valley Police, either by reporting online or by calling 101, quoting reference 43230242689.”