Agitators Interfered with Christian Worship, Full Enforcement of Laws Protecting Houses of Worship Applied by the DOJ
Three individuals who disrupted a church service during a protest in Minnesota were arrested Thursday in connection with what federal authorities described as an unlawful demonstration that violated worshippers’ rights and interrupted religious services at Cities Church in St. Paul.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the arrests followed a shocking and disgraceful interruption of a Christian worship service at Cities Church, where agitators confronted worshippers and chanted slogans critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics. The unlawful intrusion was organized to oppose the role of one of the church’s pastors, who also serves as the acting field office director for ICE in the area.
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Who Was Arrested
Federal agents arrested the following individuals on Thursday:
- – Nekima Levy Armstrong – A Twin Cities attorney and “activist”, whom Bondi identified as a key organizer of the protest.
- – Chauntyll Louisa Allen – A “community organizer”, also taken into custody for her involvement.
- – William Kelly – An activist charged alongside the others.
Officials said all three face federal charges, including conspiring to interfere with constitutionally protected rights by obstructing access to a place of worship – a statute historically applied under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and similar laws aimed at protecting houses of worship.
Context of the Protest
The intrusion and disruption occurred during last Sunday’s service when unlawful agitators entered the church and chanted slogans such as “ICE out!” and “Justice for Renée Good,” referencing a 37-year-old Black woman recently fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
Agitators argued the action was a “stand” against lawful immigration enforcement and a pastor’s official role with ICE, while the truth is that it violated the rights of worshippers and desecrated a sacred space.
Government Response
Bondi condemned the protest as an “attack on places of worship” and pledged vigorous enforcement of federal laws protecting religious services.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel also publicly supported the arrest efforts, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding religious freedom and order.
In a related development, a federal magistrate judge this week refused to allow prosecutors to charge former CNN anchor and “journalist” Don Lemon, who livestreamed the protest; authorities had sought to bring charges alleging unlawful participation, but the judge found insufficient probable cause.
