Kamal Ghorui
The Trump administration on Friday announced fresh federal charges against 30 additional people alleged to have taken part in storming Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, during an anti‑ICE protest on January 18. Of those charged, 25 have already been arrested, Attorney General Pam Bondi said, with more expected to be taken into custody.Bondi, in a social media post, called the disruption of a worship service an “attack on a house of worship,” warning that “we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you.” She added that the Justice Department “STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.”The expanded indictment brings the total number charged in the case to 39 individuals, all accused of conspiracy against religious freedom and interfering with the right to religious worship under federal law.Several high‑profile figures are among those charged, including independent journalists and activists such as Don Lemon, Georgia Fort and Nekima Levy Armstrong. All have pleaded not guilty to the civil‑rights related charges.
What happened at Cities Church
Protesters entered the Cities Church during a Sunday service, chanting against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanding accountability following federal immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota. The demonstration was reportedly triggered after activists learned that one of the church’s pastors also serves as a local ICE official.According to the indictment, the group carried out a “coordinated takeover‑style attack,” obstructing worshippers and frightening congregants, including children.The case has drawn widespread political attention, with conservative leaders and DOJ officials condemning the protest, while supporters of the demonstrators have raised questions about free speech and press freedoms.This development comes amid broader tensions in Minnesota over federal immigration enforcement operations and protests sparked by the deaths of civilians during ICE actions earlier this year.
