Protesters Disrupt Church Service in Minnesota
On Sunday, a group of anti-ICE protesters took over a church in Minnesota, accusing the pastor of being affiliated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Live footage on YouTube captured the scene at Cities Church in Minneapolis, where demonstrators could be heard chanting phrases like “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “ICE go!”
Former CNN host Don Lemon, who was present, clarified in the video that he was “not part of the group” and was merely “taking pictures.”
Lemon mentioned that the protesters claimed “one of the pastors” in the church was affiliated with ICE.
Senior Pastor Jonathan Parnell expressed that the protests were “unacceptable,” condemning the disruption of a gathering dedicated to worship.
Mediaite reported a contrasting view, stating that church attendees were angry about the protest and urged the demonstrators to leave. Lemon defended the protesters, noting they were exercising their constitutional rights.
Many congregation members expressed their outrage and urged the protesters to stop the disruption. “This is what the First Amendment is about: the freedom to protest,” Lemon remarked. He acknowledged that protests can be uncomfortable for some but emphasized their constitutional importance.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced that an investigation is underway regarding potential violations of the federal FACE Act.
Dhillon tweeted that her office is looking into “possible violations of the federal FACE Act” concerning those who disrupt worship and undermine the rights of worshippers.
Breitbart News previously reported that the FACE Act, enacted in 1994, prohibits various forms of disruptive conduct intended to interfere with access to reproductive health services. The goal of the law is to protect both abortion clinics and churches alike.
