The federal government has officially moved beyond local trespassing charges in the St. Paul “Cities Church” incident, pivoting to a sweeping strategy of federal conspiracy. On February 27, 2026, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment adding 30 new defendants to the case. In total, 39 individuals now face felony charges for what the Department of Justice characterizes as a coordinated, multi-layered assault on religious liberty.
The “Klan Act” Strategy
The DOJ is not merely seeking a public nuisance conviction. They are utilizing 18 U.S.C. § 241—the Reconstruction-era “Klan Act”—alongside the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. While the FACE Act is traditionally associated with reproductive health clinics, its statutory language explicitly protects “all persons” in the “exercise of their right to religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”
By deploying these specific statutes, prosecutors are framing the January 18 disruption as a felony conspiracy to strip parishioners of their constitutional right to worship. The target of the group was Pastor David Easterwood, who concurrently serves as a senior official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The government’s thesis is clear: political grievances against a public official do not grant a license to violate the sanctity of a congregation.
High-Profile Targets and “Black Bloc” Tactics
The list of 39 defendants includes prominent figures who the government alleges crossed the line from observation to active participation. Among them are former CNN anchor Don Lemon, civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, and independent journalist Georgia Fort.
The indictment details a “takeover-style attack” involving individuals clad in “black bloc” attire—masks, hoods, and dark clothing intended to obscure identity. According to federal filings, the group did not simply “report” on a protest; they executed a coordinated entry into the sanctuary during a Sunday morning service. Video evidence cited by prosecutors shows defendants occupying aisles and shouting down the sermon with “ICE out” chants, creating a wall of noise that effectively neutralized the religious proceeding.
The Impact: Families in the Crossfire
The human cost of the disruption is a centerpiece of the DOJ’s narrative. The filing describes a scene of “intimidation and threat,” where congregants—including families with small children—were forced to flee the sanctuary in fear. Unlike a standard street protest, the confines of the church created a “captive audience” effect, which the government argues was a deliberate tactic to maximize psychological distress.
The Institutional Power Play
Attorney General Bondi has made the government’s stance clear: “YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP.” By elevating these charges to federal felonies, the DOJ is effectively stripping the group of traditional First Amendment defenses. This is a tactical shift; the DOJ is no longer focusing on the “what” (the protest content) but the “where” (the religious sanctuary). This serves as a warning shot to activist groups nationwide: houses of worship are now a “red line” for federal intervention.
The Legal Frontline and Civil Fallout
The pressure is mounting on a second front. Beyond the criminal indictments, the defendants are facing significant civil liabilities. A member of the congregation, Ann Doucette, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking punitive damages, specifically naming Don Lemon for his role in livestreaming and allegedly encouraging the disruption.
The message from Washington is unmistakable: the federal government will no longer tolerate the interruption of religious services as a form of political theater. If you target a pulpit to hunt a political opponent, the DOJ will treat you as a conspirator against the Constitution itself. The era of the “unimpeded church protest” is over.
I agree with Bbv, this was a terrorist act. Imagine sitting in a church service getting invaded and surrounded by people clothed in black. There was a parishioner that had a child at the Annunciation shooting. I’m surprised no one had a heart attack. I’m reserving judgement on Don Lemon, TBD what his role really was.
Fair enough about Lemon. It does sound like maybe he tried to stop them entering the sanctuary?
Article has been updated with the indictment available for download: https://app.box.com/s/1nw2aw99fbkhszxqzrs8iiess6fnlvwg
Gotta say it, I’m with the feds on this one. At first I thought the conspiracy charges were heavy-handed, but with more details, a chilling picture emerges. Lemon, Armstrong, and the others plotted to physically trap parishioners in the church, blocked the entrances and the alleyway behind the church, and even blocked the entrance to the child care room so parents were separated from their kids. And Lemon even admits, on camera, that the purpose of the “operation” was to traumatize parishioners. Tough luck for this lot, but I’m afraid they’ll need to be made an example of.
From the Strib:
The protesters kept up their disruptive acts, including blocking people in the sanctuary as they tried to leave.
Lemon acknowledged on his livestream that one young man in the sanctuary was afraid to the point of crying and that he understood why the outburst was “‘traumatic and uncomfortable’” for the congregants. In any event, he added, that was the purpose of the protest.
One congregant told police at the scene that some of the protesters blocked the stairs leading to the child care area, making it difficult for parents to retrieve their children.
https://www.startribune.com/attorney-general-pam-bondi-announces-more-arrests-in-anti-ice-church-protest/601590001?utm_source=gift