A protest that disrupted services at a Minnesota church is drawing heated responses. Some are praising the demonstrators for confronting a pastor who was alleged to have affiliations with ICE, while others say that disrupting a church service was inappropriate and possibly illegal. Journalist Don Lemon was at the protest and interviewed people on both sides, is now drawing mixed reactions as well.
Don Lemon covers anti-ICE protest at Minneapolis church
Services at the Cities Church in St. Paul were interrupted Sunday by a group of demonstrators protesting against the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minnesota. The anti-ICE protestors targeted the agency after reports that one of its pastors, David Easterwood, also serves as the acting director of ICE’s field office in St. Paul. The protestors, affiliated with groups such as the Racial Justice Network and Black Lives Matter Minnesota, entered the church and disrupted services. Protestors chanted “ICE out” and “justice for Renee Good,” in reference to the woman who was shot and killed by ICE agents earlier this month. Journalist Don Lemon was present for the demonstration and live-streamed the confrontation.
Lemon interviewed multiple people during the protest. He spoke to one of the church’s pastors, who said, “This is unacceptable. It’s shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship.”
“They’ve emptied a house of worship. Everybody’s gone home,” said one man interviewed by Lemon as he left the church, adding, “Their point has been proven worthless, and so in the end, I think they lose.”
Lemon also spoke to lawyer and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, leader of the Racial Justice Network who organized the protest, which she described as a “clandestine operation.” Armstrong defended the tactic of disrupting the church service, arguing that “they cannot pretend to be a house of God while harboring someone who is directing ICE agents to wreak havoc upon our community.”
Mixed reactions and possible criminal investigation
Reaction to the protests and Lemon’s presence have been polarized. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he was “Grateful to Don Lemon for being on the ground in Minnesota to help lift up this fight for truth and fairness.”
The Christian publication Faithfully Magazine posted, “Difficult to say if this was appropriate action without knowing more about the pastor and church.” The magazine added, “Protests aren’t convenient and some Christians need to wake up.”
Others condemned the protest. “There is no right to interrupt a church service to protest. You are violating the rights of your fellow citizens when you do,” posted New York Times columnist David French. “It’s inexcusable, and vital for MN authorities to protect the right of people to peacefully worship.”
Rap star Nicki Minaj, who has taken increasingly right-wing stances in recent months, posted a homophobic insult against Lemon and said of the journalist, “I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!!” and claimed that “HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION.”
Minaj’s call for charges against Lemon and the protestors echoes posts made by other conservatives. Some have suggested the protest may violate the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a 1994 law that protects reproductive clinics and houses of worship against acts of disruption or intimidation. The Justice Department has indicated that it is investigating the incident. U.S Attorney General Pam Bondi posted that “Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law.”
With the ICE operation showing no signs of subsiding in Minnesota, it is safe to assume that protests against these activities will also continue in the state. This latest protest, disrupting the services of a church that may also have a unique connection to ICE, has proven particularly divisive, reflecting the overall controversy over ICE’s actions in Minnesota.