Dozens of anti‑immigration protesters who disrupted a St. Paul church service in January have been charged on the federal level, but city officials say they will not face additional state criminal counts. The St. Paul City Attorney, Irene Kao, told reporters that current evidence does not meet Minnesota’s criminal threshold, and that the protesters’ actions were not violent or destructive.
After the incident, the U.S. Justice Department filed civil‑rights charges against 39 people, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, under allegations that the protest violated federal law. The protestors were seen on livestream chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” the mother of 37‑year‑old Renee Good who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
City Attorney Kao stressed that “the right to peacefully protest is protected, as is the right to exercise one’s religious beliefs.” She added that, while violence, property damage, or threats to public safety remain serious concerns, none of that occurred during the demonstration.
The protest’s target was a pastor at the church who also served in an ICE supervisory role. Lead pastor Jonathan Parnell criticized the city’s decision, saying the prosecutor’s logic “justifies invasion of a mosque, cathedral or temple” under the veil of protest.
Four states—including Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kansas—have passed laws this year making it a crime to disrupt religious services, a trend that underscores the national debate over the limits of protest.
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