New video released by Fox News shows anti-ICE agitators barging into a live church service in St. Paul and shouting that the sanctuary was a “house of the devil,” footage that should shock every American who believes in the sanctity of worship. The images are stark: protesters marching to the pulpit, drowning out prayers with chants and accusations while families and children sat helplessly. This was not peaceful protest — it was a calculated intimidation campaign inside a house of God.
The disruption took place at Cities Church in St. Paul, where roughly three dozen demonstrators reportedly stormed the service and chanted “ICE out” and “Renee Good,” a reference to a recent fatal shooting connected to an ICE operation. One of the church’s pastors, David Easterwood, is affiliated with the local ICE field office, which appears to be why this congregation was targeted. The Justice Department has already opened a civil rights inquiry into the incident, underscoring how serious and unlawful this kind of harassment of worshippers truly is.
Religious leaders from across the country rightly condemned the stunt as an unacceptable trauma to worshippers, noting that services were forced to end early and that children and families were subjected to shouting and insults. This is not debating policy on the street; it’s the desecration of a sacred space under the guise of politics. Christians of all stripes should be alarmed that activists now feel free to invade Sunday services and silence congregations with mob tactics.
This church incident is part of a broader pattern of anti-enforcement agitation in Minnesota after the federal “Metro Surge” of immigration officers, with protesters even occupying a Target store to demand retailers bar federal agents from their parking lots. Authorities have had to make arrests for assaults on federal officers during the surge, which shows this is more than righteous dissent — it’s an organized campaign to obstruct law enforcement. Americans should recognize the difference between lawful protest and chaos that puts public safety and families at risk.
Meanwhile, the media circus around the protests has been predictably partisan, with some hosts and outlets seemingly more interested in amplifying the agitators than in defending the rights of worshippers they interrupted. Conservatives have every right to call out this selective outrage and to demand accountability for those who cross the line from protest into harassment. When journalists blur the line between covering a story and joining a mob, they do a disservice to truth and to the people they claim to inform.
The federal FACE Act exists to stop exactly this kind of interference in places of worship, and the Justice Department’s civil rights probe must be followed by firm action to deter copycat attacks. Political leaders who are silent while churches are trampled risk sending a message that sacred spaces are now fair game for intimidation. Law and order means protecting the vulnerable, including the faithful who gather peacefully to worship, not ceding the sanctuary to political thugs.
Hardworking Americans who love their country and respect faith should be outraged, and they should demand that their pastors, local officials, and federal authorities do two things: protect houses of worship, and restore civility to public debate. This episode is a wake-up call — the left’s weaponization of protest must not be allowed to undermine the freedoms and traditions that hold our communities together. Stand with those who pray, stand with law enforcement doing a thankless job, and stand against the lawlessness masquerading as moral outrage.
