The Justice Department has indicted 30 additional people in connection with the January anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, bringing the total number of defendants to 39. Nine individuals, including former CNN journalist Don Lemon, had already been charged. Attorney General Pam Bondi said federal agents have arrested 25 of the newly indicted individuals, with more arrests expected.
The protest took place Jan. 18 after demonstrators alleged that the church’s pastor worked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Earlier, a federal magistrate judge ruled there was no probable cause to arrest Lemon and others under a statute not previously used in a church protest context.
A grand jury later returned indictments against Lemon and eight others, charging conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship and interfering with that right. Lemon has pleaded not guilty and claims the case has broader implications for journalists.
Prosecutors argue he crossed the line from reporting to participation. According to the indictment, Lemon allegedly took part in a pre-operation briefing where logistics were discussed and later told his audience the goal was to make the experience “traumatic and uncomfortable” for congregants.
The DOJ also alleges he warned others not to reveal details of the plan beforehand. If proven, prosecutors say this reflects operational involvement rather than independent journalism.
Separately, a Minnesota churchgoer, Ann Doucette, has filed a civil lawsuit alleging the disruption caused her severe emotional distress and interfered with her right to practice her religion. The complaint claims Lemon coordinated with demonstrators, livestreamed the incident, and “appeared to take satisfaction” in the chaos. If convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison. The amount sought in the civil suit has not been disclosed.
This is not the first time activists have stormed a church. The most frequently cited precedent is the 1989 “Stop the Church” protest at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, organized by ACT UP and WHAM! Activists targeted Cardinal John O’Connor over the Catholic Church’s opposition to condom distribution, safe-sex education, and abortion during the AIDS epidemic. Protesters staged a coordinated “die-in” during Mass, chanting and disrupting the service, and one activist desecrated a consecrated Communion wafer.
Legally, that case was treated as a local public-order matter. Protesters were charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, low-level misdemeanors that resulted largely in community service. The current case is different. The Department of Justice is using 18 U.S.C. § 241, the Conspiracy Against Rights statute, enacted in 1870 to prevent coordinated efforts to deprive citizens of constitutional rights, including the right to worship. Unlike trespassing, § 241 focuses on agreement and intent to violate civil rights.
Lemon also faces charges under the FACE Act, which now protects houses of worship. The statute makes intentional obstruction or intimidation of congregants a federal crime. The central question is not whether he was present, but whether he participated in planning. If a journalist helps organize the timing or execution of a disruption, prosecutors argue he becomes a co-conspirator rather than a neutral observer.
By framing the prosecution as a threat to journalism, Lemon suggests a press role shields him from liability. But the right to worship is a settled constitutional protection, and courts have historically been reluctant to allow a press claim to override another person’s First Amendment right to practice religion on private property.
The federal prosecution of the Cities Church “takeover” comes at a pivotal moment for religious liberty in America. While the First Amendment is often cited to protect the right to protest, it equally guarantees the right to the free exercise of religion without fear of intimidation. Supporters of the DOJ’s aggressive stance, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, argue that for too long Christian congregations have been treated as “soft targets” for political activists.
The Biden administration invoked hate-crime legislation when prosecuting attacks on other minorities or religions, but not Christianity. In February 2025, President Trump established a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. The administration argues that the previous DOJ ignored hundreds of attacks on Catholic churches and pro-life centers while aggressively prosecuting pro-life activists under the FACE Act.
Now Christians are being defended by the current administration, and Democrats are furious.
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