Three protesters down.
Federal authorities have arrested three anti-ICE agitators after a mob stormed a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday.
Bondi named Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly as in custody.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Armstrong’s arrest was in connection with a violation of the FACE Act, which prohibits interfering with the exercise of religion at a place of worship.
Armstrong is expected to appear on Thursday before U.S. Judge Douglas Micko.
Homeland Security Investigators and FBI agents arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong who played a key role in orchestrating the Church Riots in St. Paul, Minnesota.
She is being charged with a federal crime under 18 USC 241.
Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States -… pic.twitter.com/LHh994fXf3
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 22, 2026
Allen is charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, the Department of Homeland Security said.
Chauntyll Louisa Allen has been charged with conspiracy to deprive rights for her role in the St. Paul church riots. pic.twitter.com/DwTJxB3tW7
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 22, 2026
And just days after publicly daring the Department of Justice to arrest him, agitator William Kelly was, indeed, arrested, Bondi said.
Ok ✅ pic.twitter.com/tQZNbKFABA
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 22, 2026
UPDATE:
William Kelly is now in custody.
Our nation was settled and founded by people fleeing religious persecution. Religious freedom is the bedrock of this country.
We will protect our pastors. We will protect our churches. We will protect Americans of faith.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 22, 2026
Kelly stormed the Cities Church service in St. Paul and berated congregants, according to video posted online.
“Minutes ago at my direction, HSI and FBI agents executed an arrest in Minnesota. So far, we have arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong, who allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi wrote on X.
“A second arrest has been made at my direction. Chauntyll Louisa Allen has been taken into custody,” she announced minutes later.
“We will share more updates as they become available. Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” she added.
UPDATE: A second arrest has been made at my direction. Chauntyll Louisa Allen has been taken into custody.
More to come.
WE WILL PROTECT OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIP 🙏🏻
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 22, 2026
Armstrong, whose website identifies her as a civil rights lawyer and “scholar-activist,” helped to organize the storming of Cities Church in St. Paul on Sunday.
Allen, a member of the St. Paul School Board, also helped organize the protest.
Armstrong continued to harass people connected with the church as recently as Wednesday, when she accused one of its pastors of having a “conflict of interest” due to working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Armstrong claimed in a Facebook post that one of the church’s pastors is a leader at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The demonstration is one of many throughout the Twin Cities protesting the federal government’s surge of immigration enforcement officials to crack down on widespread fraud in the state.
The Sunday attack saw dozens of agitators storm Cities Church during its service. Video from the incident showed activists screaming at congregants, including children.
Before the Sunday service disruption, Armstrong caused controversy through her far-left views and activism. She has also been a key organizer of the boycotts against Target over its decision to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
In a September 26 post, Armstrong had high praise for Joanne Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur, who was convicted of the murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1977. Armstrong called her “a brave, wise, powerful, and revolutionary Black woman.”
And now the moment has turned.
A Sunday service was disrupted. Names were named. Charges were filed. And the attorney general’s message was as plain as it was final: the sanctuary is not a stage.
