Three arrested after protest interrupts service at St. Paul church
Federal agents arrested three Minnesota activists following a protest that entered and disrupted a Sunday worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul. A federal magistrate judge declined the Justice Department’s request to charge journalist Don Lemon.
By EEW Magazine Online Newswire
Three people were arrested in connection with a protest at a St. Paul church. From left: Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a member of the St. Paul School Board; Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney; and William Kelly, an anti-ICE activist and U.S. Army veteran.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Federal agents arrested three Minnesota activists Thursday in connection with a protest that entered and disrupted a Sunday worship service at Cities Church, an episode that has become a flash point in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and its escalating confrontation with demonstrators in the Twin Cities.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrests of Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney; Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a member of the St. Paul school board; and William Kelly, an anti-ICE activist and Army veteran, according to Reuters.
Prosecutors cited two legal theories underpinning the arrests. One is the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a 1994 law best known for protecting access to abortion clinics but which also includes provisions prohibiting intimidation or obstruction at places of religious worship. The second is a federal civil-rights conspiracy statute, which prosecutors say applies when two or more people conspire to interfere with constitutionally protected rights, including the free exercise of religion.
Pam Bondi, U.S. attorney general, announced the arrests of three activists in connection with a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Credit: AP)
Court documents were not immediately available Thursday, and attorneys for the three had not publicly detailed their responses.
Video posted online shows protesters entering a Sunday morning service, chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renée Good,” before leaving after roughly 25 minutes. Police arrived after the group had moved outside.
Protest organizers said they targeted the church because they believed one of its pastors, David Easterwood, also held a senior position with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in St. Paul. Reuters reported that Easterwood is listed as a pastor on the church’s website and appears in public records as the acting ICE field office director. He did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Easterwood is named in a pending class-action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota alleging unlawful ICE tactics in the state.
In a statement, Cities Church said the protesters “accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat,” adding that the church is considering legal action.
The arrests came as federal prosecutors also sought to charge Don Lemon, who livestreamed portions of the protest while describing his role as that of a journalist. A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota declined to approve the Justice Department’s proposed complaint against Lemon.
A federal magistrate judge declined to approve the Justice Department’s request to charge Don Lemon in connection with the protest. (Credit: Getty)
CBS News identified the magistrate judge as Douglas Micko and reported that Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said the court’s action confirmed that Lemon’s conduct was protected under the First Amendment.
CBS also reported that during Thursday court proceedings involving Armstrong and Allen, the judge declined to approve an additional charge under the FACE Act for each woman, writing “NO PROBABLE CAUSE” on copies of the arrest warrants obtained by the network.
The confrontation at Cities Church unfolded amid intensifying protests over immigration enforcement in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region, including demands for accountability in the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE officer.
The Associated Press reported that Vice President JD Vance arrived in Minnesota the same day as the arrests and urged state and local law enforcement officials to cooperate with federal authorities.
More on EEW Magazine Online:
