As federal authorities deliberate on potential civil rights violations following the disruption of a Minnesota church service on Sunday, progressive Christian leaders are rallying behind anti-ICE protesters, framing the interruption as a legitimate expression of dissent.

The protestors, opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, just as the service commenced. They alleged that a pastor within the congregation had ties to ICE.

Footage from the incident captured demonstrators chanting “Justice for Renee Good” within the church, coinciding with a wave of anti-ICE protests sweeping across the Twin Cities.

In a statement released on Tuesday, church officials expressed their dismay, describing how the protestors “jarringly disrupted” their worship, confronting congregants and alarming children, which culminated in what they called an atmosphere of intimidation and threat.

The church’s statement denounced the actions of the protesters as “shameful, unlawful, and intolerable.” They emphasized that disrupting a church service is neither protected by Christian Scriptures nor by national laws. They further asserted that church buildings are sanctuaries meant for peace and reflection, where individuals can worship freely. In response to the incident, the church urged local, state, and national leaders to safeguard this essential right and noted that they are considering legal options with their counsel.

“Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated,” the church wrote. “Invading a church service to disrupt the worship of Jesus—or any other act of worship—is protected by neither the Christian Scriptures nor the laws of this nation. … Church buildings are meant to be places of peace and solace, where worshipers can hear and live out this message. We therefore call on local, state, and national leaders to protect this fundamental right. We are evaluating next steps with our legal counsel.”

Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention, said it was “absurd” that protesters would disrupt a Sunday morning worship service.

“As protesters trespassed inside the church, yelling in the worship service, ex-CNN reporter Don Lemon stuck a mic in [the church’s lead pastor, Jonathan Parnell]’s face asking don’t they have a constitutional right to public protest,” Ezell wrote in an X post. “No, they don’t have a right to enter private property & disrupt worship.”

Anti-ICE protesters targeted the Cities Church in Minneapolis on Sunday, shouting down churchgoers in the middle of services.  (Facebook/DawokeFarmer2)

“If elected officials won’t contain lawlessness, [the NAMB] will provide protection for our churches,” Ezell added.

However, some pastors, including Louisiana minister Rodney Kennedy, are applauding the protesters’ ambush.

“MAGA churches are not being persecuted for righteousness but for not loving their neighbors. They are being persecuted by unexpected judgment, like Jesus cleansing the temple,” Kennedy wrote in an opinion article on Baptist News Global. “… I think God is using unexpected prophets to judge Cities Church.”

Kennedy went on to attack the church itself, questioning “how a church bearing the name of Jesus promotes the themes of resentment, nativism, nationalism, racism and militaris.”

“MAGA evangelicals have been raising hell in American politics. Their movement is filled with economic angst, racism, religious bigotry, antifeminism and hostility toward immigrants, science, the media and democracy,” he wrote. “They have given birth to a Christian nationalism that is neither Christian nor patriotic.”

Kennedy added he believes the church demonstration was likely “only round one.”

An anti-ICE agitator berates Christians in a Minnesota church.  (DawokeFarmer2/Facebook)

“Instead of whining about worship being violated, they should ask what led protesters to take such a drastic approach to communicate,” he wrote. “I pray MAGA evangelical churches everywhere will discover gospel reasons for facing the persecution and outrage of the culture. Until then, the Sunday protest in Minneapolis was probably only round one.”

Hours after the church protest, officials with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division said they would investigate the disruption.

“The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshipers,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon wrote in a statement on X. “Considering and investigating other related crimes as well. @FBI activated too!”

The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) Act, a federal law passed in 1994, makes it illegal to use force, threats or obstruction to interfere with people in places of worship.

Violations of the FACE Act can trigger criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, or civil penalties.