CNN Star STORMS Church Amongst Protestors

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon joined anti-ICE protesters who stormed a Minnesota church sanctuary during Sunday worship, traumatizing children and halting religious services in an unprecedented attack on sacred worship spaces.

Story Highlights

Don Lemon participated in disrupting Cities Church worship service, filming and misidentifying the pastor
Black Lives Matter protesters invaded sanctuary chanting “Justice for Renee Good” while families worshipped
Attorney General Pamela Bondi launched federal investigation, vowing “full force of law” response
Church attacks have surged to 415 incidents in 2024, with armed incidents doubling from previous year

Protesters Target Pastor’s Dual Role

Anti-ICE activists stormed Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, 2026, targeting Pastor Jonathan Parnell who serves dual roles as lead pastor and acting ICE field office director. Don Lemon participated in the disruption, filming confrontations and misidentifying Parnell on camera while protesters chanted demands throughout the sanctuary. The chaos forced worship services to halt as families with children witnessed the unprecedented invasion of their sacred space.

The disruption violated Minnesota Section 609.28, which criminalizes obstructing religious access as a gross misdemeanor. Black Lives Matter Minnesota organized the protest, demanding justice for “Renee Good” in what appears to be a deportation-related case. This marks a dangerous escalation where activists now target law enforcement officials within their places of worship, crossing fundamental boundaries of religious freedom.

Federal Response and Church Protection Measures

Attorney General Pamela Bondi swiftly announced federal investigations into criminal violations, declaring “attacks against law enforcement and intimidation of Christians will be met with full force of federal law.” DOJ Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon confirmed the probe while North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell condemned the “absurd lawlessness” and pledged church protection services. The rapid federal response signals the Trump administration’s commitment to defending both religious liberty and law enforcement personnel from coordinated intimidation campaigns.

Churches nationwide face mounting security challenges as hostile incidents surge dramatically. The Family Research Council documented 1,384 attacks against U.S. churches from 2018-2024, including 415 incidents in 2024 alone involving vandalism, arson, armed aggression, and service disruptions. Armed incidents doubled from 12 in 2023 to 28 in 2024, forcing congregations to implement security protocols previously unimaginable in American worship spaces.

Constitutional Crisis in Sacred Spaces

This incident represents a fundamental assault on First Amendment protections, combining attacks on religious exercise with intimidation of federal law enforcement. The Supreme Court’s Hosanna-Tabor decision affirmed churches’ autonomy to remove disruptors, yet activists increasingly ignore these constitutional boundaries. Legal experts emphasize that protected speech ends when protesters interfere with worship through chanting, blocking aisles, or refusing to leave church property.

The targeting of Pastor Parnell within his congregation reveals the left’s strategy of eliminating safe spaces for conservatives and Christians. By invading sanctuaries during family worship, activists traumatize children and desecrate spaces Americans have traditionally considered sacred. This escalation demands federal intervention to protect constitutional rights that state authorities appear unwilling to defend against organized leftist intimidation campaigns.