St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao is refusing to charge the anti-law-enforcement mob that invaded and disrupted service at Cities Church in Minnesota on January 18, drawing harsh criticism – and a warning of the consequences of her decision for people of all faiths – from the church’s pastor.
Thirty-nine people, including ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon, were arrested for disrupting service at Cities Church in January because they thought one of the church’s pastors was working with the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office’s efforts to take illegal aliens into custody.
But, on Tuesday, City Attorney Kao announced that the agitators would not be prosecuted because the “evidence is insufficient” – even though the incident was caught on camera.
Don Lemon livestreamed both the church invasion and his “reconnaissance” report to the mob beforehand, The New York Post reports:
“‘They’re planning an operation we’re going to follow them on. I can’t tell you exactly what they’re doing, but it’s called Operation Pull-Up,’ he [Lemon] said in the stream.
“‘So that’s what we’re doing here, and after we do this operation, you’ll see it live, these operations are surprise operations. Again, I can’t tell you where they’re going,’ he said, indicating he was very much a part of the demonstration despite his protestations he was only covering it as a reporter.”
“The right to peacefully protest is protected, as is the right to exercise one’s religious beliefs,” Kao wrote in her statement, attempting to rationalize her decision not to prosecute the agitators.
Kao also suggested that didn’t prosecute those who disrupted the church service because there was no violence, property damage or threats:
“However, acts of violence, property destruction, or threats to public safety – none of which occurred here – remain serious concerns and will be prosecuted when supported by admissible evidence.”
“Just because the agitators didn’t break any windows doesn’t mean they didn’t break the law,” True North Legal General Counsel Renee Carlson, representing the church and pastor, responded in a statement:
“The City Attorney's assurance that the rights of religious people in St. Paul are protected means nothing when the governing authorities charged with enforcing those protections refuse to uphold the law.”
“The St. Paul City Attorney’s decision treats the church like it’s a public sidewalk – as if the sanctuary were an open forum that anyone may seize mid-service, rather than private property where a congregation has the right to worship undisturbed,” Director of Litigation Doug Wardlow added, warning that Kao is giving the green light to politically-favored lawbreaking:
“[T]he City Attorney’s office sends an unmistakable signal: the law will bend for those whose cause aligns with the politics of those in power.”
Minnesota officials and liberal politicians have been vehemently opposing enforcement of federal immigration laws in their state.
All religious institutions are threatened by Kao’s legal rationale, Pastor Parnell warned in a statement:
“According to the St. Paul City Attorney’s logic, it is perfectly fine for agitators to invade a mosque, a cathedral, or a temple, intimidate the families and children inside, and shut down their religious gathering. Just call it a ‘protest.’”
While the agitators will not be prosecuted on the state level, they still face federal civil rights charges brought by the U.S. Justice Department for "Conspiracy Against Right of Religious Freedom at Place of Worship," and "Injure, Intimidate, and Interfere with Exercise of Right of Religious Freedom at Place of Worship."
