Protesters Storm Minnesota Church During Service, Sparking Federal Civil Rights Probe

By Jim Thomas | Saturday, 24 January 2026 10:39 AM EST

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty warned on Saturday that federal and state leaders need to “climb down a rung or two” and find compromise as protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement intensify in Minnesota. Speaking on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America Weekend,” Pawlenty argued that “other cities have made accommodations with the president” while his state remains “dysfunctional at the moment.”

Pawlenty described protesters as a mix of individuals who either “don’t want ICE at all” or “sincerely believe ICE has used excessive tactics.” He cited a breakdown in basic intergovernmental communication, stating tensions between Governor Tim Walz and President Donald Trump have escalated so severely that they “don’t even speak to each other.”

The comments followed an incident where protesters disrupted a Sunday church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, triggering federal scrutiny. The Justice Department announced Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon’s Civil Rights Division is investigating potential civil rights violations tied to protests that allegedly “desecrated a house of worship and interfered with Christian worshippers.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media stating that “attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law.” She also announced arrests of Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly in connection with the church protest.

A federal magistrate judge recently rejected a criminal complaint filed against journalist Don Lemon regarding the incident. Pawlenty condemned protesters who “burst into a church and storm a church service under the guise of protest,” calling such actions “way, way out of bounds.” He reiterated: “You don’t get to break things, you know, burst into churches. You don’t get to hurt law enforcement officers. Yes, peacefully protest. If you want to stay at a distance, don’t obstruct law enforcement, but you don’t get to hurt people, break things, disrupt religious services and otherwise cause other people disruption.”