A heated protest erupted at a Minnesota church as a group of left-wing activists interrupted a Sunday service, sparking outrage among congregants. The demonstration was aimed at denouncing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and was held at Cities Church in St. Paul.

With chants of “ICE out,” the protestors accused a senior church leader of collaborating with ICE, a contentious issue that has been a flashpoint for community activists. The protest was partly fueled by the recent incident involving the shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother from Minneapolis, by ICE agent Jonathan Ross earlier this month.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, a leading voice among the protesters, declared, “This will not stand. They cannot pretend to be a house of God while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities.” Her statement echoed the broader sentiments of those who feel that religious institutions should take a stand against what they perceive as unjust immigration practices.

Among the media covering the event was Don Lemon, who was seen engaging with the demonstrators as they made their way into the church service. The protest caused significant disruption, with many worshippers leaving the church, visibly upset by the unfolding chaos.

The incident underscores the tension between activism and places of worship, raising questions about where the line should be drawn when it comes to protest and religious gatherings. As the debate continues, the community remains divided over the best course of action moving forward.

The protest action disrupted the Sunday services, with many worshippers leaving in disgust after being harassed by the protesters. 

‘These people have come into our house and they’ve interrupted our worship. Everybody’s gone home, their point has been proven worthless and so, in the end, I think they lose,’ said one churchgoer. 

‘I feel violated, I feel interrupted, I feel angry.’ 

Lemon, who operates as an independent journalist after being fired by CNN, spoke to one of the pastors at Cities Church, who said the protesters refused to have a peaceful dialogue.

A left-wing mob stormed a Minnesota church to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stopping services and leaving worshippers furious

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon followed the protesters into the church

‘No one is willing to talk. I have to take care of my church and my family,’ he said, before asking Lemon to leave. 

Lemon said he’d gone to Minneapolis after the weeks of protest because ‘I believe in the Constitution and I believe, especially, in the First Amendment and that all journalists should be here if they have the opportunity.’ 

The former CNN anchor noted afterwards that there were police vehicles outside the church but he never saw officers walk in to try and calm things down. 

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the protesters will be investigated by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division under the FACE Act, which criminalizes using force or threats at churches. 

ICE’s social media account posted Sunday: ‘Agitators aren’t just targeting our officers. Now they’re targeting churches, too. They’re going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans.’

They blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for ‘whipping these mobs into a frenzy and then allowing them to run rampant.’

‘We won’t be deterred. ICE isn’t going anywhere.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and Cities Church for comment. 

Protesters interrupted Sunday service at Cities Church in St Paul, angrily demanding ‘ICE out’ and accusing a senior leader of the church of working with the agency

The protest action disrupted the Sunday services, with many worshippers leaving in disgust after being harassed by the protesters

Both the Department of Justice and ICE condemned the protests, with DOJ saying they were going to launch a Civil Rights Division investigation

Minnesota has been the hub of protest activity between ICE and left-wing protesters ever since the shooting of Good in early January.

Frey said Sunday that his city is ‘under siege’ after being ‘invaded’ by ICE agents during the recent immigration crackdown by Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security.

‘This is ridiculous, but we will not be intimidated by the actions of this federal government,’ Frey told Tapper.

Earlier this week, the Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial board wrote that Minnesota is ‘under siege’ and compared the situation in Minneapolis to a ‘military occupation,’ and Frey agreed with that analysis.

Frey told Tapper that his city is ‘under siege, occupied, you know, use whatever word or superlative that you wanna attach, but the bottom line is what is taking place is designed to intimidate.’

Frey also told Tapper that the Trump administration’s actions are ‘not fair’ and ‘completely unconstitutional,’ while also adding that the residents of his city are standing up in the face of ‘adversity’ and that he was ‘so proud to be from Minneapolis.’

It was reported on Sunday morning that 1,500 troops are ‘on standby’ for a deployment to Minnesota amid protests in the state, following two shootings in the city involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers since last week.’

Trump’s Department of Justice launched an investigation Friday into the Democratic governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, as well as Frey, over volatile protests against ICE in the city.

Lemon, who operates as an independent journalist after being fired by CNN, spoke to one of the pastors at Cities Church, who said the protesters refused to have a peaceful dialogue

Protesters and worshippers stand outside Cities Church in St Paul following the protest

Minnesota has been the hub of protest activity between ICE and left-wing protesters ever since the shooting of Good in early January 

Both Walz and Frey are under investigation for allegedly impeding federal law enforcement.

A US official told CBS that Walz and Frey’s anti-ICE rhetoric is what spurred the investigation.

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted to social media Friday night: ‘A reminder to all those in Minnesota: No one is above the law.’

Earlier Friday, Trump posted to Truth Social: ‘In Minnesota, the Troublemakers, Agitators, and Insurrectionists are, in many cases, highly paid professionals. The Governor and Mayor don’t know what to do, they have totally lost control, and our currently being rendered, USELESS! If, and when, I am forced to act, it will be solved, QUICKLY and EFFECTIVELY!’

The liberal leaders have been heavily critical of federal law enforcement in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an agent on January 7.

Frey told ICE agents to ‘get the f**k out of Minneapolis’ as tensions have escalated in the city.

Walz, the Democrat nominee for vice president in 2024, has also taken shots at the president and told ICE to leave.

On Wednesday, Frey slammed ICE officials again for ‘creating chaos’ in his city after an agent who was ‘ambushed’ during an arrest shot a suspect in the leg.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey appears on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, where he was interviewed by host Jake Tapper

The Department of Homeland Security said the suspect was an illegal migrant from Venezuela who ran away on foot Wednesday night before joining two others to attack the agent with a ‘broomstick or shovel.’

The suspect was shot in the leg and remains in a stable condition in hospital. Two accomplices were also in police custody, and the agent involved was also taken to hospital after he was violently set upon by the trio.

Law enforcement officers wearing masks were using tear gas and flash bangs on protesters at the scene, just 4.5 miles north of where Good was shot, in an effort to control the crowds.

Frey urged protesters who had arrived at the scene to ‘go home’, warning they were making matters worse and ‘taking the bait.’

‘For anyone who is taking the bait tonight: stop,’ he said at a late-night press conference to address the second ICE shooting to rock his city in a week.

‘It is not helpful. Go home. We cannot counter Donald Trump’s chaos with our own chaos.

‘You are not helping the undocumented immigrants in our city, you are not helping the people who call this place home.’

The Trump administration has sent nearly 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota.