Judge Weighs Motions in Cities Church Protest Case
Federal hearings addressed more than five dozen defense motions in the prosecution of 38 defendants charged over a January protest at a St. Paul church.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Christianity
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Federal hearings were held in St. Paul on more than five dozen motions in the case against 38 defendants who pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a January 18 protest at Cities Church. Defendants argue they have been selectively prosecuted under the FACE Act, which was passed in 1994 in response to violent protests at abortion clinics.
Why it matters
The case tests how federal law protecting houses of worship applies to a demonstration against a church pastor who was then a high-ranking ICE official. Rulings on the motions could shape how prosecutors charge protest activity at religious sites in Saint Paul and across Minnesota.
The case involves 38 defendants, all pleading not guilty, and more than five dozen motions filed before the court. Federal prosecutors allege the demonstrators oppressed and intimidated congregants, while defendants contend the charges are selective and vindictive.
The players
Cities Church
A St. Paul congregation whose pastor was then a high-ranking ICE official, and whose services were disrupted by the January 18 protest.
Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act
A 1994 federal law originally enacted to address violent anti-abortion protests at clinics, now at the center of the defendants' selective prosecution claim.
The details
Prosecutors claim defendants occupied physical space in a way that threatened and intimidated congregants, and cite chants such as 'This is what community looks like' and 'ICE out of Minnesota' as threatening. Defense motions argue the superseding indictment does not allege use of physical force, threats of violence, or a full blockade, and that defendants were singled out under the FACE Act. Defendants and supporters packed the courthouse, and defendants held a news conference after the first hearing.
Timeline
January 18: Protest at Cities Church in St. Paul took place.
Tuesday: First hearing held on the motions; defendants held a news conference afterward.
Thursday: Hearings continued at the St. Paul Federal Courthouse.
November 9, 8:30 a.m.: Next scheduled hearing.
November 10, 8:30 a.m.: Following scheduled hearing.
Religious Freedom Context
The FACE Act of 1994 was enacted to address violent anti-abortion protests at clinics, and defendants here argue its use against a church protest is selective and vindictive. The outcome may clarify how the law's protections for houses of worship are applied to modern demonstrations.
Residents and congregations in Saint Paul may see clearer federal guidance on when protests at houses of worship become prosecutable offenses. The rulings could affect how demonstrators approach religious sites in the city and across Minnesota.
The takeaway
Court rulings on these motions will determine how far federal protections for places of worship reach in protest cases. Readers following religious liberty and protest law in Minnesota should track the November hearings.
What happens next
Hearings are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on November 9 and November 10 at the St. Paul Federal Courthouse, where the court is expected to continue addressing the pending motions.
Further reading
For more on faith-based community life, see Christianity coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MPR News.
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