Federal Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Minnesota Church Protest
In a significant escalation of legal action, US officials have arrested additional individuals connected to a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, bringing the total number of charges to 39. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Friday that the Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging 30 more people, with 25 already apprehended by federal agents. Bondi emphasized that "more to come," underscoring the government's firm stance against disruptions at places of worship.
Details of the Arrests and Charges
The protest, which occurred on January 18, targeted a service at Cities Church to highlight the alleged role of Pastor David Easterwood as acting field director of the St. Paul Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office. Demonstrators aimed to draw attention to what they described as ICE's harsh enforcement tactics, including incidents such as the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney previously charged in the case, reported on Facebook that the new arrests took place Friday morning, with hearings scheduled for the same day, urging community support for those detained.
Involvement of Journalists and Legal Backlash
Among those charged are independent journalists, including Brixton Hughes, who was arrested on Friday, and previously Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, who maintain they were covering the event as reporters rather than participants. The protest has sparked condemnation from the Trump administration and Republican officials, who have filed charges against involved individuals. Additionally, a church member has filed a federal lawsuit against the charged protesters, alleging that the disruption caused fear and distress, infringing on religious freedoms.
Levy Armstrong defended the protest's purpose in a local publication, stating, "We thought congregants would want to know they have a pastor in their church doubling as the director for the ICE field office in Minnesota. The core of the gospel message is to love thy neighbor as you love yourself. And ICE has been doing the opposite of that: terrorizing our neighbors, brutalizing people, and even murdering people." This case highlights ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement and civil liberties in the United States.
