Church Service Disrupted by Protesters in Minnesota
The lead pastor of a Minnesota church has described the disturbing incident when anti-ICE activists disrupted a Sunday service. He referred to the invasion as a manifestation of “evil darkness” that sought to intimidate families.
In January, a group of demonstrators stormed a church service in St. Paul, claiming it had ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Cities Church’s senior pastor, Jonathan Parnell, characterized the protest as an “ambush.” He stated that the protesters were yelling in the faces of children.
“At that moment, it felt like a provocation, a threat, even a spectacle,” Parnell wrote. Many congregants fled in fear, worried about potential violence, and children were visibly frightened, raising their hands in distress.
“They invaded a sacred space—a place meant for peace and refuge—and tainted it with their anger,” he noted. He felt that while they may have disrupted the church, “hell doesn’t have the final say. Only God does,” he emphasized later.
According to Parnell, a woman accused the church of hosting federal agents connected to ICE. This protest occurred amid growing scrutiny from the Department of Homeland Security after an incident where an individual was shot during a standoff with federal agents.
He mentioned losing sight of his family and congregation as a camera intrusively crowded his space. Parnell observed that the protesters seemed frustrated by his lack of engagement, continuing to harass the church’s members.
Those involved in the disturbance have faced legal consequences, with the Justice Department arresting and charging several individuals for what they described as a “coordinated attack” on the church.
Meanwhile, former CNN host Don Lemon, who was present during the incident, has pleaded “not guilty” to federal charges, maintaining that he was acting as a journalist protected by the First Amendment.
Parnell expressed confidence that those responsible would be held accountable through the legal system, but he also suggested that faith could provide redemption for them.
