Attorney general: Nekima Levy Armstrong arrested for role in Cities Church protest
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Homeland Security and FBI agents arrested Twin Cities lawyer and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong on Thursday morning, following a protest during a service last Sunday at Cities Church in St. Paul.
Bondi also announced a second arrest in connection with the protest — local activist and current St. Paul School Board member Chauntyll Allen — and said “more to come.”
The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice later confirmed that activist Monique Cullars Doty also turned herself in to federal authorities on Thursday morning. Cullars Doty was the aunt of Marcus Golden, a Black man shot and killed by St. Paul police in 2015.
Levy Armstrong told MPR News earlier this week that the protest aimed to raise awareness that a pastor at the church leads a local field office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, amid the ongoing ICE operation in Minnesota.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
The group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good," referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month.
The U.S. Department of Justice had said it was investigating people involved in the protest. In a statement on Tuesday, Cities Church had said it was “evaluating next steps with our legal counsel.”
Bondi on Thursday labeled Sunday’s protest a “coordinated attack” on the church and said Levy Armstrong was arrested for allegedly playing a key role.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Levy Armstrong faced a charge under a statute that bars threatening or intimidating someone exercising a right.
It wasn’t immediately clear what charge Allen would face. Justice Department officials have said in recent days they were considering charging the protesters under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.
The FACE Act prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services or seeking to participate in a service at a house of worship.
— MPR News staff and the Associated Press
This story is part of our live coverage. Go to live updates.
