Protests at St. Paul Church by Extremists
This past Sunday, a Christian church in St. Paul, Minnesota, faced protests from a group identifying itself as part of the “ICE Out Action.” Among the notable figures was Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, who, along with various leftist activists from organizations like Nekima Levi Armstrong’s Racial Justice Network, Black Lives Matter Minnesota, and BLM Twin Cities, confronted the church.
The activists criticized the pastor for perceived ties to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They reportedly threatened worshippers and attempted to drown out the church service with disruptive chants and propaganda.
In response, the Department of Justice has referenced the Freedom of Admissions Act. It indicates that potential violations of KKK laws may be pursued. Yet, some Democratic lawmakers have defended the actions of the protestors, implying that the church is a legitimate target for such demonstrations.
One protestor noted, “When you find out that the people who are supposed to be representing the community in the church are with ICE…they have a right to be there.” When Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was queried about potential lawsuits against these protestors for disrupting religious gatherings, he remarked that the investigation focus under the current Justice Department might not necessarily lead to legal repercussions for them, framing it as First Amendment activity.
Ellison seemed hesitant to condemn the actions, hinting at his frustration over the presence of ICE agents in the community. He remarked on the potential deployment of troops to Minnesota due to crime levels.
Representative Adelita Grijalva from Arizona, who co-sponsored a resolution supporting ICE cessation, has also vocalized support for the protests. She claimed, “This is commonplace in our immigrant communities,” implying ongoing fears among immigrants related to the government.
After the protests, several Christian leaders expressed outrage, unequivocally condemning the incident. Rev. Paul Chappell from West Coast Baptist University stated, “We condemn the actions of Don Lemon and a group of activists… Christians should demand that the Department of Justice take action.” Others echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the intrusion into a place of worship is unacceptable and against the principles of religious freedom.
Albert Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, described the incident as a serious moral infraction. Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General, added that places of worship should be shielded from extremist protests, asserting that such actions are against federal criminal and civil law.
She indicated that various federal laws might have been broken during these protests and anticipated legal consequences would follow. “We will not allow this sort of disruption at any church in America. This is un-American,” Dhillon asserted.
