An Un-Civil Movement
Intent on ending white supremacy, the Left returned to church.
By Madison Fossa
On Sunday, protestors stormed a church in Minnesota, where demonstrations against ICE immigration enforcement have intensified following the death of Renee Good. Led by BLM activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, the protestors antagonized congregants and disrupted worship. Also at the scene were former CNN host Don Lemon, viral protestor William Kelly (better known as “dawokefarmer2”), and many others.
According to Armstrong, who led the event as a part of “Operation Pull Up,” the “demonstration” took place because,
“…a Pastor at this church [was] the Acting Field Director for the ICE office in St. Paul. It’s time for judgement to begin and it will begin in the House of God!!!”
Armstrong’s call to action inspired protestors to not only enter Cities Church in protest of the pastor, but also to harass the congregants, disturb children, and badger church leadership who attempted to handle the situation.
The videos of the event, uploaded across social media, are disturbing and startling. In some clips, protestors yell in the face of Pastor Jonathan Parnell, the lead pastor. Children, caught on camera by Lemon as they left the building, appear intimidated and confused by the interruption to their Sunday programs. Some were even pictured being comforted in the building.
Although many aspects of this wholly inappropriate protest demand scrutiny, a few things stood out to me in particular.
Media Madness
The first, and most bizarre part of the protest, in my opinion, was Don Lemon’s presence and his approach to “journalism.” This opinion is not unique to me. Online, Lemon is receiving extreme backlash for his decision to participate in storming Cities Church. He has even been placed on notice by the FBI.
Some of the most offensive clips show Lemon, who appears calm and collected, talking to congregants and the pastor as he attempts to emulate a journalist. However, Lemon’s questions are leading, and his interactions result in a pseudo-sermon about the so-called injustice in Minneapolis. Instead of allowing congregants to communicate their point of view clearly, Lemon inserts his own opinion time and again, attempting to “educate” his interviewees.
In one case, Lemon even follows an interviewee, whose church Lemon had just broken into, as the exasperated congregant attempts to end the interview respectfully.
NEW: Don Lemon loses it after a much smarter man shuts down his gaslighting attempts at the Minnesota church that was stormed by far-left agitators.
Lemon was seen harassing the man and following him around as he tried to leave.
“They’ve emptied a house of worship. Everybody… pic.twitter.com/7BzvV2IO5L
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 19, 2026
In interviews and videos posted after the event, Lemon seems unfazed by the hot water he has landed himself in. He continues to reference the First Amendment and his rights as a journalist as protection for him storming the church with the rest of the protestors on Sunday.
@donlemonMAGA Snowflakes Spreading Fake News Again!♬ original sound – Don Lemon
No Remorse
Though Lemon’s attendance has drawn a lot of media attention, this protest demonstrated deeper issues. The protestors seemed to draw no distinction between the congregants and the pastor who they allege works for ICE. They did not turn back once they were unable to find the alleged ice officer. Instead, they stayed to antagonize congregants.
No protestor better demonstrates this than William Kelly, known across social media for screaming insults not only at ICE agents, but also at families he believes voted for Donald Trump. This protestor worked his way around the church (inside and out), ridiculing congregants for their coffee, their easy lives, their hypocrisy, their choice of church, and even their jewelry. It seems that, to him, attending a potential ICE agent’s church or even claiming Christ without participating in the ICE protests indicts these individuals as Nazis.
“Where are you?!” the protestor screamed in the face of the pastor, “Where are your people? Why are you not at Whipple every day fighting for the humanity, standing for our people? Where are you?”
As women prayed over the protestor with outstretched hands, he walking in front of them, taunting:
“All these comfortable white people, who are living lavish, comfortable lives, while children are dragged into concentration camps; you’re living real nice lives with your lattes, doing absolutely nothing for your Latino and Somali brothers and sisters… did Jesus wear a suit? Did Jesus profit off the words? No!”
Later, he posted a video, calling the people in the church “white supremacists” and “Nazis.” He taunted:
“Come and get me, Pam Bondi…All power to the people.”
The protestors feel fully justified in their actions. According to Lemon, they seem to assume that,
“…people who are in religious groups like that… [their] entitlement comes from a supremacy, a white supremacy. And they think that this country was built for them, that it is a Christian country…”
The Left sees their movement as a new Civil Rights movement that stands up to fascist Republicans and racist Christians. It appears that none of the protestors thought to examine the individual beliefs of the congregants before disrupting their time of worship. Their presence in Cities Church was enough to label them Nazis and incite the protestors.
What Happens Next?
The blatant disregard for civility, disrespect for Christianity, and indifference towards the congregation demonstrated by the protestors was astonishing. Armstrong made it clear that these protests are meant to be a surprise. Lemon posited that though he’s “sure… it’s uncomfortable and traumatic for the people here… that’s what protesting is about.”
Many are arguing that this protest was a violation of the FACE and KKK Acts. So far, Armstrong, Kelly, Don Lemon and another protester have been arrested for violating the FACE Act. Only time will tell what other actions the Administration decides to take; however, the effects and emotions sewn during this shocking event are sure to have a long-lasting impact.
About the Author
Madison Fossa is a senior Trustee Scholar at Grove City College majoring in Biology and minoring in Technical Writing.
In addition to working as a Marketing Fellow for the Institute, Madison is the president of Young Women for America’s Grove City chapter. This summer, Madison interned with the American Spectator as an Editorial Intern, and will continue to write for the Spectator as well as The College Fix.
READ MORE BY MADISON FOSSA: Choosing Conservative Icons Wisely
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grove City College, the Institute for Faith and Freedom, or their affiliates.
Cover Image: Photo by yasmin peyman on Unsplash