DOJ Expands Indictment Over Minnesota Church Protest
The Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment adding 30 people over the Jan. 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul; Attorney General Pam Bondi said 25 were arrested.
Overview
The Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment adding 30 people to charges from the Jan. 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said 25 were arrested.
The protest, called Operation Pullup, came after the Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent and unfolded amid the Trump administration's Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities.
Bondi said the Justice Department 'STANDS for Christians' and warned attackers 'you cannot hide from us,' while several defendants, including Don Lemon, Georgia Fort and Nekima Levy Armstrong, have pleaded not guilty.
All 39 defendants are charged with two civil-rights counts alleging conspiracy against the right of religious freedom and interference with that right, according to the superseding indictment.
Legal challenges are pending as defendants have sought disclosure of grand jury transcripts and judges previously rejected some arrest warrants and charges on January 22.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources show neutral reporting, attributing charged language to official filings and spokespeople while presenting multiple perspectives: Bondi and the church lawyer's statements about prosecution and intimidation; protesters' defenses from Lemon, Fort, Levy Armstrong and Trahern Crews; and contextual background on ICE operations and community impact.
Sources (14)
FAQ
Renée Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old US citizen, was fatally shot on January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis by ICE agent Jonathan Ross while she was in her SUV; Ross fired three shots as she drove away, amid Operation Metro Surge.[1]
Operation Metro Surge is a DHS campaign deploying thousands of armed ICE agents to Minneapolis and St. Paul for immigration enforcement, leading to disruptions like school lockdowns and a lawsuit by Minnesota AG Keith Ellison alleging constitutional violations.[2]
All 39 defendants are charged with two civil-rights counts: conspiracy against the right of religious freedom and interference with that right, stemming from the January 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul.[story]
Defendants including Don Lemon, Georgia Fort, and Nekima Levy Armstrong have pleaded not guilty; legal challenges include requests for grand jury transcripts, with some prior arrest warrants and charges rejected on January 22.[story]
Pam Bondi stated the Justice Department 'STANDS for Christians' and warned attackers 'you cannot hide from us,' noting 25 arrests out of the 30 added in the superseding indictment.[story]
History
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