Authorities arrested more than two dozen additional people for their alleged participation in an anti-ICE mob that stormed a Minnesota church service last month.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that 26 more people had been arrested over the incident at Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, where dozens of people showed up and screamed at congregants during a Sunday morning worship service over accusations that one of the pastors on staff worked for ICE. The protest was streamed live by former CNN host Don Lemon, who claimed he was engaging in independent journalism.
Multiple left-wing activists have already been arrested over the protest. A judge on Friday unsealed an indictment charging 30 additional people with conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. They were also charged with attempting to interfere with congregants exercising their First Amendment rights.
“At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day,” Bondi said on X. “YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. If you do so, you cannot hide from us — we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. This Department of Justice STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.”
Those charged included Aziza Mohammed Aboud, Max Richard Adamson, Michael Walker Beute, Ezra Chaim Pye Blumenfeld, Shane Ryan Bollman, Kelly Ann Carey, Monique Cassandra Cullars-Doty, Tiffany Lynn Dunlap, Andrew Jared Edwards, Rachel Rose Goligoski, Amelia Cristin Hansa, Ariel Hauptman, Krista Erin Hogan, Heather Danae Lewis, Danielle Andrea Matthias, Catie Anne Michaelson, Eric Ryan Michaelson, David Anthony Okar, Jarmel James Perry, Cheryl Ann Persigehl, Emmar Monike Pineda-Moreno, Spencer Michael Rodriguez-Bocanegra, Katherine Elizabeth Shaw, Satara Diann Strong Allen, Charles Lee Swenson, Robyn Elise Swenson, Thomas Matthew Tier, Lee Elizabeth Wiedeman Tuggle, John Donald Vergin, and Mark David Weinfurter.
The indictment alleges that two of the defendants, Chauntyll Louisa Allen and Satara Diann Strong Allen, “conducted reconnaissance” around the church on January 17, took video of the area, and made preparations for the next day’s takeover.
The indictment says that another defendant, Nekima Levy Armstrong, “interrupted the service with loud declarations about the church harboring a “Director of ICE” and indicating that the time for Judgement had come, and other defendants joined in by yelling and blowing whistles in a takeover attack on the Church, all of which quickly caused the situation in the Church to become chaotic, menacing, and traumatizing to Church members.”
Another defendant, William Scott Kelly, told young kids at the church that their parents were Nazis, according to the indictment. “Do you know your parents are Nazis? They’re going to burn in hell,” he said, prosecutors allege.
The indictment said that Lemon, who was arrested last month over his participation, positioned himself in front of one of the church’s exit doors and “physically obstructed” congregants from leaving to ask them questions about immigration policy.
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