DOJ launches civil rights investigation after Minnesota agitators storm church
President Donald Trump's administration launched an investigation after anti-ICE agitators stormed a church in Minneapolis during a service on Sunday.
Dozens of agitators burst into the Cities Church sanctuary roughly halfway through the service, attendees of the church told Fox News Digital. The mob stormed the building believing that one of the pastors is the acting director of ICE's St. Paul field office.
Top-level members of Trump's administration vowed an investigation after the unrest on Sunday.
"I just spoke to the Pastor in Minnesota whose church was targeted. Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
"If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice will remain mobilized to prosecute federal crimes and ensure that the rule of law prevails," she added.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also condemned the attack in a statement on social media. Footage of the event showed a crowd disrupting the church service with shouts. Attendees of the church told Fox that agitators followed them into the parking lot as they attempted to leave the scene, with some surrounding vehicles and trying to block them from leaving.
"President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship," Leavitt said.
MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR FREY REFUSES TO WALK BACK ‘GET THE F--- OUT’ MESSAGE TO ICE
"The Department of Justice has launched a full investigation into the despicable incident that took place earlier today at a church in Minnesota," she continued.
Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, said she and her team are "hard at work" investigating the incident.
"We will not rest until we are able to deliver justice," Dhillon said in a statement.
MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR SAYS 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' ICE CONDUCT HAS BEEN MET WITH ‘PEACEFUL’ PROTESTS
Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has defended anti-ICE protesters, pushing back on federal officials who have described the demonstrations as dangerous or lawless and rejecting claims that state and local leaders are responsible for fueling unrest.
Appearing on CBS’ "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Frey rejected the Trump administration’s characterization of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, arguing the surge of federal agents has made residents feel targeted rather than protected.
"This is not about safety. What this is about is coming into our city by the thousands and terrorizing people simply because they're Latino or Somali," Frey said. "People in Minneapolis are speaking up. They're speaking up peacefully. They're standing up for their neighbors. And this is not just about resisting Trump. This is about loving and caring for the people that call this city home. And it's been inspiring."