U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Monday (February 2) that two additional people, Ian Davis Austin and Jerome Deangelo Richardson, have been arrested in connection with the recent protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The protest took place during a church service on January 18 and was directed at the church’s pastor, an official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as protesters chanted messages against immigration enforcement.
The total number of people arrested in relation to the incident is now nine, including well-known journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort. The arrests follow a federal grand jury indictment last week, which charges all nine with conspiracy to violate civil rights and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshippers at a place of worship.
The Department of Justice began investigating after the protest group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referencing a mother who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. The event has sparked significant controversy, particularly following the arrests of journalists, and has drawn criticism from media advocates and civil rights groups.
Last week, a federal magistrate released some of the arrestees, including Lemon, after finding there was not enough probable cause under a rarely-used federal statute to support their continued detention. However, prosecutors later secured a grand jury indictment, keeping the case active.
Lemon and others have vowed to fight the charges in court, maintaining that their rights as journalists are protected by the Constitution.
The federal case is ongoing, and it remains unclear when the next court hearings will take place for those still facing charges.
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