Federal prosecutors have filed charges against 30 additional individuals connected to a January protest that disrupted services at a Minnesota church, Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed Friday.
Bondi disclosed through social media that authorities had taken 25 people into custody, with additional arrests planned for later that day.
“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,” Bondi declared in her online statement. “This Department of Justice STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.”
The newly arrested individuals will face initial hearings before a magistrate judge who will determine their release conditions.
Previous arrests in the case included former CNN anchor Don Lemon, journalist Georgia Fort, and local community organizer Nekima Levy Armstrong. The White House previously shared an altered image showing Levy Armstrong in tears during her arrest. All three have entered not guilty pleas to federal civil rights violations.
The charges now encompass 39 individuals total, each facing accusations of conspiring against religious freedom and obstructing the exercise of religious rights.
The January 18 demonstration took place at Cities Church in St. Paul after activists discovered that one of the church’s ministers also holds a position with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The disruption of Sunday worship services prompted immediate criticism from Trump administration representatives and conservative figures.
Federal prosecutors describe the incident as a “coordinated takeover-style attack” where “agitators” entered the building and engaged in threatening behavior toward worshippers.
“Young children were left to wonder, as one child put it, if their parents were going to die,” according to the federal charging document.
Church attorney Doug Wardlow commended the Justice Department’s decision to file additional charges.
“The First Amendment does not give anyone — regardless of profession, prominence, or politics — license to storm a church and intimidate, threaten, and terrorize families and children worshipping inside,” Wardlow stated.
The church incident occurred during a period of heightened tension in Minnesota, where federal authorities had deployed thousands of officers for Operation Metro Surge following multiple government fraud investigations primarily involving defendants of Somali heritage. Federal agents routinely used tear gas during confrontations with community activists in residential areas, frequently detaining both protesters and immigrants.
Federal officers fatally shot 37-year-old mother Renee Good in south Minneapolis on January 7. Another deadly shooting occurred one week following the church protest, when federal agents killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti.
These incidents sparked nationwide protests, leading to leadership changes within Operation Metro Surge and the eventual conclusion of the immigration enforcement campaign in mid-February.
The Twin Cities continue to address the lasting effects on local communities and the regional economy. Minneapolis officials reported $203.1 million in damages from the operation, with tens of thousands of residents requiring emergency assistance.
