Two people were arrested Thursday morning in connection with a protest that disrupted worship at Cities Church in St. Paul on Sunday, authorities and public figures said.
The attorney general's office identified the two as Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen. Charging papers were not immediately available, and the U.S. Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Armstrong Faces Civil‑Rights Conspiracy Charge
Officials say Armstrong is being charged under a statute that makes it a crime to conspire to block someone from exercising their civil rights. Further details of the indictment and the specific allegations in the charging documents have not yet been released publicly.
Reactions and Social Media
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X (formerly Twitter):
"Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP."
The White House and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem also publicly commented on the arrests and shared an image that appeared to show Armstrong in custody.
Why the Protest Occurred
Protesters said they targeted the church after alleging that one of its pastors, David Easterwood, served as the acting field director for the St. Paul ICE office. Those claims are reported as allegations and have not been independently confirmed in court documents.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was present at the protest and livestreamed portions of the disruption.
Voices From the Church and Political Response
Jonathan Parnell, a pastor at Cities Church, told Lemon in a livestreamed interview that the congregation was holding worship and had asked demonstrators to leave. He said the group did not comply:
"Our church had gathered for worship, which we do every Sunday. We asked them to leave and they have not."
Former President Donald Trump criticized Lemon on Tuesday, calling him a "loser, lightweight," and praised the pastor’s calm response during remarks at a White House briefing. "I have such respect for that pastor. He was so calm, he was so nice. He was just accosted," Trump said, adding that what occurred in the church was "horrible."
What Happens Next
Prosecutors are expected to release charging documents when available. The investigation and any potential prosecutions remain ongoing.
