Attorney general Pam Bondi says 39 people now charged over January protest and warns ‘more to come’
Federal authorities have arrested more people on Friday for their alleged involvement in a protest at a church in Minnesota in January, following earlier arrests of organizers and journalists that were demonstrating amid sweeping, and often violent, immigration enforcement efforts in the state.
Attorney general Pam Bondi said the justice department unsealed an indictment that charged 30 more people for the demonstration. Of those charged, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, Bondi said, with “more to come”. The latest arrests bring the total number of people charged to 39.
“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,” Bondi said on X.
Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney in Minnesota who was charged previously over the demonstration at Cities Church in St Paul, said on Facebook that the additional people had been arrested Friday morning and would have a hearing later the same day, calling on community members to show up to support those charged.
