Minnesota Attorney General Responds to Anti-ICE Protest Claims
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is rejecting assertions that anti-ICE demonstrators who disrupted church services over the weekend have broken federal laws cited by the Justice Department.
Officials from the Justice Department are looking into whether those who interrupted worship at St. Paul’s Cities Church on Sunday may have violated the FACE Act or the Ku Klux Klan Act.
The FACE Act, as defined, makes it illegal to use or threaten force to “injure, intimidate, or impede” someone seeking reproductive health services or exercising their First Amendment rights in a worship space. It also forbids deliberate damage to facilities offering reproductive health services or places of worship. On the other hand, the Ku Klux Klan Act criminalizes denial of civil rights to citizens.
During an appearance on Don Lemon’s YouTube show, Ellison asserted that the FACE Act specifically pertains to reproductive rights. He pointed out, “The FACE Act is intended to defend people’s reproductive rights…it prevents individuals from using religion to invade women’s reproductive health centers.” He expressed confusion over how these laws could apply to protests occurring in a church context related to a religious leader’s actions.
Lemon faced criticism after he shared an in-depth report showcasing the unrest at Cities Church. He defended his reporting as First Amendment protected, while Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, argued that Lemon’s involvement might have been unlawful. She remarked, “The chapel is not a public space for protest! This space is shielded by federal law against such conduct! The First Amendment doesn’t safeguard pseudo-journalism interrupting worship.” She emphasized that Lemon should be aware of this.
Notably, the pastor of St. Paul’s church condemned the anti-ICE activists, stating, “We are here to worship Jesus.”
Lemon expressed his astonishment at being portrayed as the face of the protests in his role as a journalist, especially since he wasn’t the only reporter present. He commented, “What’s more disturbing is the wave of homophobic and racist slurs, along with violent threats, directed at me online, which have been amplified by some right-wing media channels.” He continued to emphasize that time spent generating anger would be better used investigating the factors leading to the protests, specifically mentioning the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good. “I stand by my reporting,” he concluded.
