Dozens of anti-ICE protesters won't face state charges for storming Minnesota church service, prosecutor says

Dozens of anti-ICE protesters, including erstwhile CNN writer Don Lemon, volition debar authorities transgression charges aft storming a Minnesota religion work successful January — a determination religion leaders blasted arsenic efficaciously giving activists a escaped walk to disrupt spiritual worship.

St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao said successful a connection Wednesday that her bureau would not prosecute charges, saying the disposable grounds did not enactment prosecution nether Minnesota law.

"Following a cautious valuation of the video footage, investigative reports, and different disposable materials, prosecutors determined that the existent grounds is insufficient to conscionable that modular for transgression charges nether Minnesota authorities statutes," the connection said.

Federal prosecutors person already charged 39 people, including Lemon and different autarkic journalist, with civilian rights violations tied to the disruption. The national cases stay pending.

ANTI-ICE MOB STORMS MINNESOTA CHURCH OVER PASTOR'S ALLEGED TIES TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT

Activists unopen down a work astatine Cities Church successful St. Paul, Minn., connected Jan. 19, 2026, claiming the pastor was moving arsenic an ICE agent. (Angelina Katsanis/AP Photo)

The metropolis prosecutor’s determination drew a crisp rebuke from leaders astatine Cities Church, wherever demonstrators interrupted worship services connected Jan. 18 to protestation national migration enforcement operations successful Minneapolis.

"According to the St. Paul City Attorney’s logic, it is perfectly good for agitators to invade a mosque, a cathedral, oregon a temple, intimidate the families and children inside, and unopen down their spiritual gathering. Just telephone it a ‘protest,’" pb pastor Jonathan Parnell said.

Journalist Don Lemon exits the U.S. District Courthouse successful St. Paul, Minn., connected Feb. 13, 2026. (Tom Baker/AP)

The protestation targeted the religion aft activists learned that 1 of its pastors besides served arsenic an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authoritative progressive successful a large national enforcement cognition successful Minnesota. The agitators were heard successful videos chanting "Justice for Renee Good," referencing the fatal shooting of the 37-year-old astatine the hands of national agents.

LEFTIST PASTOR CALLS MINNESOTA CHURCH INVASION DIVINE JUDGMENT ON 'MAGA EVANGELICALS' AMID DOJ PROBE

Kao stressed that the determination not to record authorities charges "should not beryllium interpreted arsenic an endorsement of unlawful behaviour oregon nationalist disorder."

Anti-ICE agitators stormed Cities Church successful Minnesota, disrupting services successful January 2026. (Black Lives Matter Minnesota/The Associated Press)

"The close to peacefully protestation is protected, arsenic is the close to workout one’s spiritual beliefs," she said. "Balancing these arsenic important rights is paramount to our determination today."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Kao noted that the objection did not impact violence, spot harm oregon threats to nationalist safety. Attorneys representing the religion argued that the lack of breached windows oregon vandalism does not mean nary laws were broken.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.