St. Paul City Attorney Declines to Prosecute Church Protesters

The St. Paul city attorney has decided not to prosecute anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a Cities Church service in January, labeling the demonstration as a ‘peaceful protest.’ Pastor Jonathan Parnell and attorney Doug Wardlow spoke on ‘Saturday in America’ to express their views on this contentious decision.

This week, the House of Representatives shows a rare bipartisan agreement as lawmakers unite to address the issue of disruptive protests targeting places of worship. Representatives Brad Knott, R-N.C., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., are presenting a bill aimed at criminalizing the act of knowingly obstructing or impeding individuals from attending a religious service.

The proposed legislation specifies that protests within 100 feet of any entryway to a house of worship during designated times, beginning one hour before and ending one hour after a scheduled service, would be considered a crime. Violations of these guidelines could lead to fines, escalating from $2,500 for the first offense to $10,000 for the third.

The bill includes certain limitations, such as demonstrations conducted with government-issued permits. Importantly, the text defines disruptions by factors like volume and duration, ensuring that the First Amendment rights remain intact.

Today, many Americans are unable to worship without fear of harassment, assault, or other forms of intimidation. The right to worship freely is foundational to our nation and was one of the motivations for its founding. No American should ever feel that their choice is between worshiping in fear and not worshiping at all, Knott stated.

Suozzi emphasized support for peaceful protests, clarifying that attendees of religious services should not experience harassment, intimidation, or targeting due to their faith.

Earlier this year, at least four states adopted laws prohibiting the disruption of religious services, according to an Associated Press report. This follows a Minnesota incident where demonstrators disrupted a church service linked to a federal immigration official who was reportedly a pastor.

Elizabeth Elkind, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, leads coverage of the House of Representatives. Her previous work is featured in the Daily Mail and CBS News. Follow her work on Twitter at @liz_elkind or send tips to [email protected].