Protesters Disrupt Service at Minnesota Church Where ICE Official is Pastor
A disturbing incident unfolded at a Minnesota church on Sunday where one of the pastors is also an official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Justice Department has announced that it is investigating the disruption, which was carried out by anti-ICE protesters.
According to footage posted online by Black Lives Matter Minnesota, approximately 30 to 40 protesters interrupted a church service at Cities Church in St. Paul around 10:40 am on January 18. The protesters allegedly shouted and disrupted the service, with some even entering the church.
David Easterwood, one of the pastors at the church, is also the acting field director of the St. Paul ICE field office. However, he was not present during the incident, according to Black Lives Matter Minnesota.
The protesters expressed their outrage against ICE officials, stating that someone who claims to worship God and teaches about faith should not be overseeing agents who enforce immigration laws. "Think about what we've experienced," one protestor said.
In response to the incident, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on X that her department is taking a strong stance against such attacks on law enforcement and the rights of Christians. "If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice will remain mobilized to prosecute federal crimes and ensure that the rule of law prevails," she stated.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon also confirmed that the department is investigating the incident as a potential violation of the Freedom to Access Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), which makes it a federal crime to intimidate or interfere with individuals seeking to exercise their First Amendment rights at places of worship.
The St. Paul Police Department stated that they are actively investigating the incident as a disorderly conduct investigation and have no additional information due to the ongoing investigation.
ICE has blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly inciting protests, but both officials have denied any involvement or support for such activities.
A disturbing incident unfolded at a Minnesota church on Sunday where one of the pastors is also an official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Justice Department has announced that it is investigating the disruption, which was carried out by anti-ICE protesters.
According to footage posted online by Black Lives Matter Minnesota, approximately 30 to 40 protesters interrupted a church service at Cities Church in St. Paul around 10:40 am on January 18. The protesters allegedly shouted and disrupted the service, with some even entering the church.
David Easterwood, one of the pastors at the church, is also the acting field director of the St. Paul ICE field office. However, he was not present during the incident, according to Black Lives Matter Minnesota.
The protesters expressed their outrage against ICE officials, stating that someone who claims to worship God and teaches about faith should not be overseeing agents who enforce immigration laws. "Think about what we've experienced," one protestor said.
In response to the incident, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on X that her department is taking a strong stance against such attacks on law enforcement and the rights of Christians. "If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice will remain mobilized to prosecute federal crimes and ensure that the rule of law prevails," she stated.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon also confirmed that the department is investigating the incident as a potential violation of the Freedom to Access Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), which makes it a federal crime to intimidate or interfere with individuals seeking to exercise their First Amendment rights at places of worship.
The St. Paul Police Department stated that they are actively investigating the incident as a disorderly conduct investigation and have no additional information due to the ongoing investigation.
ICE has blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly inciting protests, but both officials have denied any involvement or support for such activities.
I'm all confused about this whole thing... like, isn't a church supposed to be a safe space? 
You'd think that someone who's supposed to be leading worship services and teaching people about faith would at least try to separate their personal and professional life, you know? 
And then there are these protesters who are literally disrupting the service... it's all just so intense. 
I don't think it's right that someone is blaming the governor and mayor for inciting protests when this whole thing started with a pastor who's also an ICE official. It feels like everyone is just pointing fingers instead of trying to find out what really happened. 
So I'm seeing this stat that 70% of Americans are divided on whether law enforcement officials should be able to hold dual roles like pastors 
, and it's kinda interesting... 
.
. The average protest crowd has grown by 25% each year...
It feels like nobody's really willing to listen to each other. I mean, I get why people would be upset - having someone in a position of power and trust be part of something that's so divisive can be pretty frustrating. But at the same time, it seems like some folks might be overreacting or looking for ways to stir up drama. 
. We're always going to have people with different views, and we need to find a way to respectfully disagree without resorting to violence or intimidation. It's time for us to take a step back and ask ourselves what we want our society to look like 
.
this is so scary what's going on with all these protests and ICE... it feels like people are getting really worked up and taking it out on others who just happen to be in a position of power 
i feel bad for David Easterwood, the pastor, he must've been shaken by that. can't we all just find common ground and respect each other's differences? 
. And now the AG is all like "we're gonna crack down on this" and I'm like, can't we all just talk about this calmly first? 
... attorney general pam bondi sounding like a total buzzkill with her "strong stance" against protesters, like that's gonna make a difference in anything 
. And what really gets me is that someone who's supposed to be leading by example - a pastor who also oversees immigration agents - would let this happen under their watch. It's like, how can you serve God and enforce laws at the same time? 
. And it's even crazier how some politicians are trying to spin this as if protesters are the bad guys 
.
. Like, what's next? Disruptin' services at schools or hospitals too? 
Interesting that the protesters thought David Easterwood was in conflict with his faith and his job at all 
. But taking things too far isn't gonna solve anything, you know? It's like, let's have a respectful conversation instead of causing a scene 
.