To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

'Despicable' Anti-ICE Mob Storms Minnesota Church during Service, Terrifying Children

Talia Wise : Jan 19, 2026  CBN News

"A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service. You are on notice!" -Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the DOJ, on X

[CBN News] The Department of Justice says it is investigating an anti-ICE protest after demonstrators busted into a St. Paul church, interrupted Sunday morning services, and accused one of the pastors of working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Screengrab image: via Facebook video-SpeakMPLS)

In live stream video footage from former CNN anchor Don Lemon, about 30 protestors with the Racial Justice Network stormed into Cities Church, yelling, "Hands up, don't shoot" and "ICE out."

According to Fox 9, the group went to the church, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, to confront a man named David Easterwood. He is one of the pastors at the church, but also allegedly an active field officer director for ICE in Minnesota.

Public records reveal that Easterwood is listed as a defendant in a January 12 lawsuit filed by the state of Minnesota to stop ICE operations that led to the confrontation between Good and ICE agents, the Union-Bulletin reports.

In a Facebook post, protestors said they went to the church to demand justice for Renee Good and "inform the congregation of what they described as their pastor's double-mindedness when it comes to the word of God and not loving thy neighbor with his work as a field director for ICE."

"This cannot be a house of God while harboring someone directing ICE agents to wreak havoc on our community," attorney Nekima Levy-Armstrong told Lemon during his livestream, explaining why the group was at the church. "I am a reverend on top of being a lawyer and an activist, so I come here in the power of the almighty God."

Easterwood was not at Sunday's service. However, the church's lead pastor, Jonathan Parnell, said the disruptive display was "shameful."

"We have asked them to leave, and they have obviously not left," Parnell told Lemon. "This is unacceptable. This is shameful. It is shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship."

"There is a Constitution. There is a First Amendment of freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest," Lemon replied.

"We are here to worship Jesus," Parnell responded, "that is the hope of these cities. That is the hope of the world is Jesus Christ."

The pastor then asked Lemon to leave if he was not there to worship.

The DOJ is investigating the incident for potential violations of civil rights laws, including violations of the FACE Act, which prohibits the use of force to prevent people from exercising First Amendment rights at a place of worship. (Screengrab image: via Facebook video-SpeakMPLS)

"A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service," wrote Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the DOJ, on X. "You are on notice!"

The Department of Homeland Security reposted one of the videos of the protest of X, writing, "Agitators aren't just targeting our officers. Now they're targeting churches, too. They're going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans."

As CBN News has reported, the DHS and Minnesota leaders have been at odds over the ICE operations.

DHS officials have claimed that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are "whipping these mobs into a frenzy and then allowing them to run rampant." In a "60 Minutes" segment Sunday, Frey accused ICE agents of "terrorizing people simply because they're Latino or Somali."

Hundreds are condemning Sunday morning's protest at the church. A White House statement issued late Sunday said the administration would not tolerate interference with worship.

"President Trump will not tolerate intimidation or harassment of Christians in their sacred place of worship. The Department of Justice has launched a full investigation into the despicable incident that took place earlier today...," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Andrew Walker called the disruption "utterly despicable."

"There is no constitutional right to protest a private religious assembly," he wrote on X. "What Governor Walz and Mayor Frey have unleashed in their regime of disorder and lawlessness is shameful. God bless Cities Church."

North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell shared on social media that he spoke with a missionary who was featured in the story. According to the witness, "the kids in the worship service were terrified."

"For protestors to disrupt a Sunday morning worship service this way is absurd. If elected officials won't contain lawlessness @NAMB_SBC will provide security," he wrote on X.

Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Chief of Staff Miles Mullin called the disruption a "gross violation" of the First Amendment. He added that the ERLC is asking Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison to "commit to protecting the right of this church—and all churches through Minnesota—to assemble free of threat."

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has ordered 1,500 active-duty soldiers to be on standby and ready for deployment to Minneapolis to support ICE operations in the city. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Talia Wise has served as a multi-media producer for CBNNews.com, CBN Newswatch, The Prayer Link, and CBN News social media outlets.







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

Ex-Muslim Flees Iran, Says Jesus Appeared in Dreams to Family Members

May Day Protests are Coming. Urgent Prayers Needed!

Anthony Fauci's Former Senior Adviser Indicted for Role in COVID Cover-up

King Charles III Gifts President a Bell from Hms Trump at White House State Dinner Reinforcing US-UK Bonds

Feds Raid More Than 20 Sites in Minneapolis Fraud Probe

This is a Spiritual Battle over America; Take Your Place Praising God, Our Worship is Warfare!

#1 NFL Draft Pick Praises God: 'I Just Can't Thank Him Enough'

UK Pastor Prosecuted for Preaching John 3:16 Anxiously Awaiting Judge's Ruling

Renowned Bible Teacher and Evangelist Marilyn Hickey Passes On to Eternity

Oz Pearlman Reveals What Was Written on Card Shown to President Trump during WH Correspondents' Shooting

After the Shooting, Democrat Senator Fetterman Backs the White House Ballroom Renovation

Blockade Effect: Iran's Regime Has DAYS Until This Crisis Hits

Kenya Court Overturns 'Constitutional Right' to Abortion in Pro-Life Victory

Give Him 15: 'It's Time to Tip the Scale'

Surprising Bible Find Sparks Big 'Opportunity' For the Church

Supreme Court Strikes Down Texas Redistricting Lawsuit, Upholds New Maps

No Conspiracy Required

What We Know About the Suspect in the Third Assassination Attempt against Trump

First Lady Melania Trump Fires Back at Kimmel: 'Enough Is Enough'

Americans Must 'Recommit' to Oppose Political Violence, Trump Says after WHCD Shooting [Video]



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



Subscribe to
Breaking Christian News


Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com