US EditionWoman Arrested on Easter Sunday Outside St. Paul's Cities Church, Site of Anti-ICE Protest Involving Don Lemon
Police said most protesters complied after repeated warnings, but one woman was arrested for interference with religious observance.
- St. Paul police arrested Emily Heather Phillips on Easter Sunday for "interference with religious observance" outside Cities Church. Officers working contracted overtime detained Phillips after she allegedly used a blow-horn and refused to comply with multiple warnings to stop disrupting services.
- Cities Church gained national attention on January 18 when demonstrators stormed the sanctuary protesting Pastor David Easterwood, an acting director for ICE. Federal prosecutors subsequently charged 39 people, including journalists, for violating the FACE Act during that incident.
- On Monday, Ramsey County District Judge Maria Mitchel dismissed all charges against Phillips. Defense attorney Trisha Pohland said the judge found "no probable cause" because the protester was only using "her unamplified voice" after police warned her to stop using a blow-horn.
- Cities Church Pastor Jonathan Parnell denounced the dismissal, telling The Minnesota Star Tribune he was "disheartened that the charges against the individual arrested yesterday have been dropped." He emphasized state law protects worship in peace.
- Progressive activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, facing federal charges for the January protest, criticized the police response on Facebook. She claimed officers attempted to "stifle protesters' First Amendment right to freedom of speech," alleging the department supports ICE.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Charges dropped against protester accused of disrupting Easter service outside Cities Church
A judge has dropped charges against a protester was arrested on Easter outside Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, the same church at the center of a January national media firestorm when activists stormed its sanctuary during worship to protest one of its pastors serving as a federal immigration agent. #CitiesChurch #ICE #protest #Minnesota #immigration #police #crime #FirstAmendment
Serial anti-ICE agitator arrested after disrupting Easter service at Cities Church
Share This StoryA serial anti-ICE agitator was arrested outside Cities Church in St. Paul on Easter Sunday after police issued orders to cease disturbing the peace to a group they indicated was causing a disruption during a religious service, according to a statement later issued by the St. Paul Police Department (SPPD). 🚨UPDATE: St. Paul police make an arrest at Cities Church during Easter services this morning. There have been weekly protest…
Woman arrested for disrupting Easter services at same St. Paul church anti-ICE protesters targeted in January
St. Paul police say a woman was arrested for disrupting Easter Sunday services at Cities Church on Summit Avenue. This is the same church where protesters swarmed into the sanctuary to protest one of the pastors in January. The pastor was acting field director of an ICE office during Operation Metro Surge.
Woman arrested on Easter Sunday outside St. Paul's Cities Church, site of anti-ICE protest involving Don Lemon
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota, say officers arrested a woman who was "disrupting" Easter Sunday services at Cities Church, the site where an anti-immigration enforcement protest in January led to federal prosecutors charging dozens of demonstrators and some journalists.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
