A wealthy British entrepreneur is putting his own money at risk to defend street preachers who face police arrests simply for expressing their faith in public.
“I am outraged and shocked to see Christians getting arrested on the streets and being told that they’re offensive for preaching about Jesus when we are living in a Christian country,” Samuel Leeds said in an interview. “We see Christians being persecuted all over the world, but seeing it happen in Great Britain — seeing the disdain, the hatred and now the oppression of Christian voices — really bothers me.”
“Where Christians are being unfairly targeted simply for preaching their faith, I’m prepared to put my money behind defending them,” he declared.
Leeds dropped out of school at 16 and became a property entrepreneur, investor, author, and content creator. He has since become a millionaire through theological studies at the Birmingham Bible Institute, where he advocates for integrating Christian values with entrepreneurship. Leeds founded a charity supporting poverty relief, church initiatives, and community projects in the UK and Africa. Recently, he has purchased churches threatened by developers to ensure they remain open for religious use.
U.K. street preachers face significant persecution from local police, who believe it is their duty to protect Muslims, LGBT individuals, and other official victim groups from being offended. (Those same officers may be fasting during Ramadan to show solidarity with Muslims.) In recent months, at least two street preachers have been arrested in handcuffs for allegedly inciting hatred against Muslims and transgender people.
Leeds stated it was “only right and appropriate for me to put my hand in my pocket” to assist these individuals. His aim is to ensure Christians receive proper legal representation rather than being silenced by police officers who, he argues, often overstep the law without understanding it.
“God blesses us when we follow His principles in the Bible,” Leeds added. “I’m a Christian. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But when you turn your back on God, take His name in vain and openly mock Jesus Christ, which has become so normal in Britain, you cannot then expect everything to continue prospering without consequences.”
Leeds described Britain’s religious double standard: “We’re a Christian country that’s tolerant of everybody and every religion — apart from, increasingly, Christians themselves.” He noted the pressure stems from within British institutions, including police interactions, leadership pandering, and an apologetic mentality where citizens seem to apologize for being British, flying their flag, or practicing Christianity.
He referenced King Charles recently altering his role from “Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith” to “Supreme Governor of the Church of England,” a title that includes protecting faith within the multi-faith nation. Leeds criticized this shift: “We absolutely should be tolerant and inclusive of people of all religions and faiths. Everybody should have the right to their own personal beliefs. But the way our leaders pander and seem afraid to offend anybody is ridiculous.”
Leeds acknowledged Christians are an independent group resistant to state control: “It is much harder to have complete control over somebody who has strong morals and believes their ultimate accountability is to God rather than the state.” He stated the U.K. is “heading towards an increasingly state-controlled society, almost communist in certain respects.”
Despite concerns about Britain’s direction, Leeds highlighted positive trends: “There’s a revival happening. There’s a U-turn taking place. People are waking up and people are coming back to God.” YouGov polls support his claims, showing rising belief in God among young adults and church attendance surging from 3.7 million in 2018 to 5.8 million in 2024.
Leeds urged Christians affected by societal shifts: “Don’t just be angry about what’s happening. Draw closer to God. Stand up for what you believe. Support your church. And do something about it.”
“The UK is in a mess right now,” he said. “No matter who you vote for or who’s in power, ultimately, the real answer is that people need to turn back to God.”