On January 18, 2026, a band of activists stormed Cities Church in St. Paul and disrupted a worship service with chants of “ICE out” and “Justice for Renée Good,” showing utter contempt for a sacred space. The Justice Department moved swiftly after the assault on religious liberty, announcing federal arrests of key organizers who coordinated the interruption. For patriotic Americans who still believe in the First Amendment and the sanctity of worship, what played out in that church was not protest — it was an attack on basic decency and the rule of law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly named Nekima Levy Armstrong as one of the people taken into federal custody, and federal officials said Chauntyll Louisa Allen and William Kelly were also arrested on statutes that prohibit intimidating or obstructing worshippers. Those are serious charges, not the performative virtue-signaling the left markets as “civil disobedience.” Law enforcement did what local leaders refused to do: enforce the law and protect people’s right to pray without being shouted down by political mobs.
The same crowd that weaponizes grief to score political points wasn’t shy about bringing cameras and self-congratulation into the sanctuary. Don Lemon, who showed up livestreaming and interviewing protesters, initially drew outrage from the right; a magistrate judge declined to sign charges against him for now, underscoring the tricky line between journalism and instigation. But the lecture circuit and cable-news circuit should not be a cover for activists who plan and execute disruptions; the public deserves honesty about who organizes these stunts and why.
It’s telling that the Justice Department has also subpoenaed state and local officials in Minnesota as part of a broader probe into whether public rhetoric impeded federal immigration enforcement. Instead of reflexively defending protesters, local leaders should be answering tough questions about why they allowed political mobs to run roughshod over religious freedom and public safety. Vice President JD Vance’s call for local cooperation with federal authorities was the right move — law and order must come before political theater.
Conservatives understand that defending churches and houses of worship is not partisan theater; it is defending the foundational freedoms that make this country livable. Using a tragic death to justify storming a sanctuary is contemptible and corrosive to civic life, and those who orchestrate such chaos deserve to face the consequences under the law. This isn’t about crushing protest — it’s about protecting the quiet dignity of worship from people who would treat it as a platform for chaos.
Americans who work hard and respect their communities should demand accountability, not applause for lawlessness. If local politicians keep soft-pedaling these offenses, voters must remember at the ballot box who stood for order and who sided with disruption. In the months ahead, conservatives should press for full transparency, support prosecutors who enforce the law fairly, and stand squarely with churches that only want to worship in peace.
