Pastors and other ministry leaders have roundly condemned a group of activists in Minnesota who disrupted a Sunday service at a Southern Baptist church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allegedly serves as a pastor.
The activists, including members of the Racial Justice Network and Black Lives Matter Minnesota, entered the sanctuary of Cities Church during the service led by senior pastor Jonathan Parnell. The protesters allege that one of the church’s pastors, David Easterwood, leads a local ICE field office in St. Paul.
After the group chanted slogans such as “ICE out!” and demanded justice for Renee Good — a protester who intentionally blocked traffic on a residential street and subsequently drove her SUV into an ICE officer who fatally shot her on Jan. 10 — the service was forced to abruptly conclude, and left attendees, including several children, visibly shaken.
The Department of Justice says it’s investigating after a group of about 20 protesters —followed closely by former CNN reporter Don Lemon — harassed a pastor and members of the church as part of an anti-ICE immigration protest.
The incident has garnered attention not only from pastors and churches across the U.S., but also from the White House.
Here are five reactions to the protest.
Ian M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ian.giatti@christianpost.com.
