Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on January 22, 2026, the arrest of three alleged ringleaders behind an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota. The individuals, including a school board member, face charges under the Enforcement Act of 1871—commonly known as the Ku Klux Klan Act—for conspiring to interfere with religious freedoms and intimidate worshippers.
The incident occurred at Cities Church, where a mob of protesters stormed the building during a Sunday service, shouting chants and disrupting prayers. Families, including children, were reportedly terrified as demonstrators targeted Pastor David Easterwood over his alleged ties to immigration enforcement. Bondi described the action as “terrorism” against innocent Americans, emphasizing that such violations of civil rights will not be tolerated under the Trump administration.
The arrested include Nekima Levy Armstrong, a former Minneapolis NAACP president and current school board member, and Chauntyll Louisa Allen, along with a third individual. They are accused of organizing the invasion, which authorities say crossed into criminal territory by infringing on First Amendment protections for religious assembly. Bondi highlighted the irony of protesters claiming to fight oppression while oppressing others’ rights to worship.
The arrests stem from a broader crackdown on anti-ICE activism amid surging federal operations in Minnesota targeting welfare fraud. Protesters defend the action as peaceful dissent against deportation policies, but federal officials counter that it endangered public safety. Civil rights groups have criticized the charges as overreach, potentially chilling free speech.
As the case proceeds, it underscores deepening divides over immigration enforcement and protest limits. Bondi vowed more prosecutions for similar disruptions, signaling a hardline stance against what she calls “radical leftist mobs.” The defendants are set for arraignment next week, with potential penalties including fines and imprisonment.
