Executive Summary
- FBI and ICE agents arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen on Thursday.
- The arrests follow a Sunday protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul regarding a pastor’s alleged ties to ICE.
- U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the incident as an attack on a place of worship.
- Church affiliates described the disruption as lawless harassment, while organizers claimed intent for dialogue.
Federal authorities arrested civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong and St. Paul Board of Education clerk Chauntyll Louisa Allen on Thursday following a disruption at a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the operation, stating that agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed the arrests.
The investigation stems from an incident on Sunday at Cities Church on Summit Avenue, where approximately 30 to 40 individuals entered the sanctuary during worship services at around 10:40 a.m. According to statements from the protesters, the demonstration was organized to oppose a pastor at the church who is believed to also serve as a local ICE official.
Attorney General Bondi characterized the event as a “coordinated attack” in a statement released on social media. “We do not tolerate attacks on places of worship,” Bondi wrote, confirming that Levy Armstrong was taken into custody for her alleged role in organizing the event. Minutes later, Bondi announced the arrest of Allen, who serves as a clerk for the local school board.
In an interview conducted prior to her arrest, Levy Armstrong told local media that the group intended to engage in dialogue with church leadership regarding the impact of ICE enforcement. Conversely, the North American Mission Board, which is associated with Cities Church, described the incident as “lawless harassment” rather than protected speech.
Federal Investigative Scope
The direct intervention by the Department of Justice and the execution of arrests by federal agents signal a stringent enforcement stance regarding disruptions within religious institutions. By classifying the protest as an attack on a house of worship, federal authorities are likely leveraging specific statutes designed to protect religious assemblies. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
