>>24316219

>Today, @thejusticedept unsealed an indictment charging 30 more people who took part in the attack on Cities Church in Minnesota.

On January 18, 2026, a group of anti-ICE protesters disrupted a Sunday worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota (part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Twin Cities metro area). The protest targeted the church because one of its pastors, David Easterwood, also serves as the acting field director of the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) St. Paul field office. Protesters entered during the service, chanted slogans such as "ICE out" and "Justice for Renee Good" (referencing a woman killed by federal agents during immigration enforcement operations in the area), and interrupted proceedings, which officials and the church described as a coordinated "takeover-style attack," "storming," or "invasion" that caused fear among congregants (including children), forced the service to end early, and led some to flee.

The U.S. Department of Justice (under Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Trump administration) investigated and charged participants under federal civil rights statutes, including conspiracy against rights (18 U.S.C. § 241) and interfering with the exercise of religious freedom (related to laws protecting houses of worship from obstruction or intimidation, sometimes referenced in connection with the FACE Act framework). Authorities framed it as an attack on religious freedom.

As of February 27, 2026 (today), a total of 39 people have been charged in the case (via initial indictments and a superseding indictment unsealed today). At least 25–30+ have been arrested (with more arrests ongoing today), according to DOJ announcements. Most of the newly charged were arrested in operations today or recently; earlier arrests occurred in late January and early February 2026. Many have pleaded not guilty, with initial court appearances ongoing. Some defendants (notably journalists) argue they were present in a press capacity covering the broader immigration protests and enforcement actions in Minnesota.

### Full list of the 39 charged individuals (most or all arrested)

This comprehensive list comes from federal charging documents and reporting on the indictments:

• Nekima Valdez Levy Armstrong (prominent civil rights attorney, activist, and organizer; arrested early in the case)

• Chauntyll Louisa Allen (St. Paul school board member)

• William Scott Kelly (anti-ICE activist and Army veteran)

• Don Renaldo Lemon (former CNN anchor/journalist; was livestreaming/covering events; pleaded not guilty)

• Jerome Deangelo Richardson

• Jamael Lydell Lundy

• Trahern Jeen Crews

• Georgia Ellyse Fort (independent journalist; pleaded not guilty)

• Ian Davis Austin

• Aziza Mohammed Aboud

• Max Richard Adamson

• Michael Walker Beute

• Ezra Chaim Pye Blumenfeld

• Shane Ryan Bollman

• Kelly Ann Carey

• Monique Cassandra Cullars-Doty

• Tiffany Lynn Dunlap

• Andrew Jared Edwards

• Rachel Rose Goligoski

• Amelia Cristin Hansa

• Ariel Hauptman

• Krista Erin Hogan

• Heather Danielle Lewis

• Danielle Andrea Matthias

• Catie Anne Michaelson

• Eric Ryan Michaelson

• David Anthony Okar

• Jarmel James Perry

• Cheryl Ann Persigehl

• Emmar Monike Pineda-Moreno

• Spencer Michael Rodriguez-Bocanegra

• Katherine Elizabeth Shaw

• Satara Diann Strong Allen

• Charles Lee Swenson

• Robyn Elise Swenson

• Thomas Matthew Tier

• Lee Elizabeth Wiedeman Tuggle

• John Donald Vergin

• Mark David Weinfurter

The vast majority appear to be local Minnesota/Twin Cities-area activists or residents involved in immigration justice efforts. Detailed public bios are limited for most non-prominent names (they are ordinary participants in the protest rather than celebrities or repeat newsmakers). A congregant has also filed a related civil lawsuit against some of the defendants.

This is the complete publicly reported information as of now on the arrests/charges tied to the incident. The case is active, with ongoing court proceedings, and no convictions have been reported yet. Sources include DOJ statements via AG Bondi, FBI, mainstream news outlets (AP, CBS, Fox, Bring Me The News, etc.), and court-related coverage from the past 5–6 weeks. If you want details on a specific person from the list, more on the broader context (e.g., the ICE operations or church's response), or updates, let me know!