A group of anti-ICE protesters disrupted Sunday worship services at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, forcing their way into the sanctuary and halting the service. Congregants said they were harassed inside the church, describing the incident as a violation of a sacred space.
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The demonstrators chanted slogans demanding ICE leave the state and accused a senior church leader of cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Protest organizers said the action was intended to demand justice for Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot earlier this month during a confrontation involving an ICE agent.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, now working independently, followed the protesters into the church and questioned activist Nekima Levy Armstrong as the demonstration unfolded. Lemon later spoke with a pastor at Cities Church, who said the protesters rejected attempts at dialogue and that his priority was protecting his congregation and family.
The disruption caused the service to end early, with several worshippers leaving visibly upset. Some congregants said they felt violated and angry that their worship had been interrupted, arguing that the protest ultimately undermined its own message.
Federal officials swiftly condemned the incident. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she spoke with the church’s pastor and vowed that attacks on places of worship would be met with federal prosecution. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division would investigate the incident under the FACE Act, which prohibits obstruction or intimidation at religious institutions.
The incident has further intensified tensions in Minnesota following weeks of protests after Good’s death. ICE and Trump administration officials blamed state and city leaders for allowing unrest to escalate, while Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have continued to criticize federal immigration enforcement. Federal authorities confirmed both officials are under investigation as demonstrations continue across the Twin Cities.[/read]