Anti-ICE protester denies her group ‘bust in’ a Minnesota church service

Nekima Levy Armstrong, one of many organizers of the storming of a church in Minnesota who protested in opposition to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Sunday, denied that she and her group have been attempting to “rush” the church on CNN, regardless of earlier feedback suggesting in any other case.

Armstrong appeared on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” on Wednesday when she was requested whether or not the Justice Division had contacted her because it threatened a crackdown on protesters.

Armstrong stated she had not been contacted by the Justice Division regardless of media consideration, however needed to “right” data of her protest.

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Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer and activist, led an anti-ICE protest at a church in Minnesota on Sunday. (Chris Juhn/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures)

“We did not invade that church,” Armstrong stated. “We sat down and took part within the service. And after the pastor prayed, I stood up and requested him a query in response to his prayer. After which he responded to me. After which I requested him about Pastor David Easterwood and the way is it doable for him to be each a pastor and director of ICE for Minnesota?”

She continued, “And as an alternative of responding to me, as quickly as I stated the title David Easterwood, the pastor stated, ‘disgrace, disgrace.’ After which I led us within the chants of “Justice for Renee Good” and “Arms up, do not shoot.” So I wish to make it clear that we didn’t rush in. We weren’t invaded. We have been a part of the service till I stood up and requested the pastor that query.”

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Though Armstrong claimed her group was not “storming” the church, it had beforehand been said former CNN anchor Don Lemon previous to the protest that they meant to ‘disrupt the traditional course of enterprise’.

Cities Church is seen in St. Paul, the place activists shut down a service claiming the pastor additionally labored as an ICE agent, January 19, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photograph/Angelina Katsanis)

“That is Operation Pull Up, extra of a clandestine operation. We present up at a key location someplace. They do not count on us to get there, after which we disrupt regular enterprise. So that is what we will do now. We have had a number of success the instances we have executed Operation Pull Up,” Armstrong advised Lemon.

In one other remark, she advised Lemon, “They can not faux to be a home of God whereas harboring somebody who orders ICE brokers to destroy our neighborhood and who killed Renee Good, who virtually killed a 6-month-old child. Sufficient is sufficient.’

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Earlier than the Sunday service disruption, Armstrong precipitated controversy for her far-left views and activism. She was additionally a key organizer of the boycotts in opposition to Goal over its choice to cut back its variety, fairness and inclusion packages.

Nekima Levy Armstrong beforehand advised Don Lemon that her group deliberate to “disrupt normalcy” earlier than storming the church. (David Joles/Star Tribune by way of Getty Pictures; Angelina Katsanis/AP Photograph)

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Armstrong has additionally raised greater than $1 million in six years as chief of a civil rights nonprofit in Minneapolis that tackles anti-poverty points.

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Fox Information Digital reached out to Armstrong for remark.

Peter Pinedo and Cameron Cawthorne of Fox Information contributed to this report.