There’s a reason churches have been called sanctuaries for centuries. Within those walls, families gather not just to worship, but to find peace from a chaotic world. On January 18th, that peace was shattered for the congregation of Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota—and the reverberations are still being felt.

What began as an ordinary Sunday service turned into chaos when dozens of anti-ICE activists stormed through the doors. They called it “Operation Pullup,” a coordinated assault targeting the pastor, whom they accused of working as an ICE field office director. Congregants fled in terror. Parents shielded their children. According to court documents, one young child asked if their parents were going to die.

“This is unacceptable, it’s shameful,” Pastor Jonathan Parnell said amid the mayhem. “I have to take care of my flock.”

And who should we find among the mob? Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who—surprise, surprise—claimed he was merely there as a journalist. Federal authorities weren’t buying it. Lemon was arrested and charged with conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and violating the FACE Act. He pleaded not guilty alongside eight other original defendants.

The DOJ Expands Its Dragnet

But the story didn’t end with those nine arrests. This week, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the Justice Department is just getting started.

From Attorney General Pam Bondi:
YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. If you do so, you cannot hide from us — we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. This Department of Justice STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.

Thirty additional people now face federal charges. Twenty-five were already in custody by the time Bondi made her announcement, with more arrests expected. The total defendant count stands at 39—and investigators are still examining who funded and organized this whole operation.

FBI Director Kash Patel reinforced the message: “This FBI will never tolerate those who target, attack, or intimidate Americans peacefully exercising their right to worship freely.”

A Warning Worth Heeding

Let me be clear to anyone contemplating similar stunts: this wasn’t some spontaneous protest that got out of hand. The indictment describes a “coordinated takeover-style attack” promoted on Instagram and Facebook, with participants meeting beforehand to plan their disruption.

These weren’t activists exercising free speech. They were agitators who terrorized families—including children—for daring to gather in prayer.

For too long, certain groups believed they could intimidate people of faith without consequence. Remember the pregnancy center attacks? The disrupted Masses? The smirking assumption that sympathetic prosecutors would look the other way?

Yeah, those days are over.

This Justice Department has drawn a clear line: your church, your family, your right to pray in peace—these are protected. And those who violate that sacred space will answer for it.

Thirty-nine indictments and counting. Message received.

Key Takeaways

• 39 people now face federal charges for storming Cities Church during Sunday worship in January.
• Don Lemon and 8 others were arrested first; 30 additional indictments followed this week.
• AG Bondi’s warning is clear: Attack a house of worship, and the DOJ will find and prosecute you.
• This DOJ is defending religious liberty with actions, not just words—a sharp contrast to past administrations.

Sources: Breitbart, The National Desk, Fox News