No state charges for anti-ICE protest in Minnesota church

A Minnesota pastor questioned St. Paul city officials’ decision not to press state charges against protesters who interrupted his church’s service. Jonathan Parnell leads Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., where anti-ICE protesters disrupted a Sunday service in January. Protesters specifically targeted the church, believing that one of its pastors led an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office. Dozens of protesters were federally charged for the incident. But those people will not face additional state charges, St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao said in a Wednesday statement to the CBS News affiliate in Minnesota.

Parnell said the city’s decision makes it acceptable for people to “invade a mosque, cathedral, or temple” and halt religious services while shouting in people’s faces and scaring their children. He accused the city of being committed only to those it agrees with, which does not include evangelical Christians.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, one of the protesters who faces federal charges, described Kao’s decision as just.

Why did the city not press state charges? Kao said there was insufficient evidence to criminally charge the protesters under Minnesota law. Her office evaluated video footage, investigative reports, and other materials, she said. Kao determined that January’s incident did not include acts of violence, property destruction, or threats to public safety. She added that protesting peacefully was a protected right.

Attorneys for the church pushed back on Kao’s reasoning. Just because the protesters did not break windows or destroy property doesn’t mean they did not break the law. Church members have a right to worship undisturbed, attorneys at True North Legal said.

What federal charges do the protesters face? The Department of Justice pressed federal civil rights charges against more than 30 people for their involvement in the Cities Church protests. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was among those charged. The DOJ said the protesters violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances & Places of Religious Worship Act. The FACE Act bars individuals from using force, threats, or physical obstruction to interfere with religious exercise at houses of worship. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. 

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on the DOJ’s indictment against the protesters.