St. Paul Drops State Charges Against Dozens of Anti-ICE Protesters as 39 Face Federal Counts
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 4
St. Paul Drops State Charges Against Dozens of Anti-ICE Protesters as 39 Face Federal Counts
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 4
Summary
Dozens of protesters who disrupted a Jan. 18 worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul will not face state criminal charges after City Attorney Irene Kao said the evidence could not support prosecution under Minnesota law.
Kao said prosecutors reviewed video, investigative reports and other materials, and found no basis meeting the criminal standard; she also noted the protest involved no violence, property damage or threats to public safety.
The demonstration targeted the church after activists linked one pastor to ICE operations in Minnesota and chanted about Renee Good, the 37-year-old fatally shot by federal agents.
Federal prosecutors have already charged 39 people, including Don Lemon and another independent journalist, with civil-rights violations tied to the church disruption, and those cases are still pending.
Cities Church leaders condemned the decision as a free pass to intimidate worshippers, underscoring the broader clash between protest rights and protection of religious services.