Inside Church Protests Remain Rare Despite US History of Religious Civil Disobedience
American religious history is filled with protest movements and acts of civil disobedience, yet political demonstrations occurring inside houses of worship remain remarkably uncommon. This rarity makes recent events at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota particularly noteworthy, where anti-ICE protesters interrupted a Sunday service leading to federal arrests.
Legal Boundaries and Civil Disobedience
Charles C. Haynes, a senior fellow for religious liberty at the Freedom Forum, emphasised that disrupting a worship service violates the law, which is often precisely the point for those engaging in civil disobedience. "Civil disobedience is by nature violating the law to bring attention to a cause," he noted, referencing the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s pivotal actions during the Civil Rights Movement.
Before her arrest, civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong framed the protest in religious terms on Facebook, declaring "It's time for judgment to begin and it will begin in the House of God!!!" Haynes acknowledged that while civil rights law should protect religious freedom within worship spaces, protesters frequently believe their cause justifies drastic measures.
Historical Precedents for Worship Disruptions
Though unusual, worship service disruptions have historical precedents across American religious history:
- Radical Quakers in colonial America disrupted services of established churches they considered illegitimate
- The African Methodist Episcopal Church originated from an 18th century walkout by Black worshippers facing discrimination in a white church
- Civil rights activists staged "kneel-ins" at segregated churches during the 1960s
- The 1989 "Stop the Church" demonstration saw AIDS activists disrupt Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York
- In 1984, protesters targeted wealthy Pittsburgh churches to highlight unemployed steel workers' plight
Haynes reflected on the 1989 ACT UP protest, noting "There was a lot of pushback. But for ACT UP, it was life or death for them at the time."
Balancing Protest Rights and Worship Sanctity
More common are protests outside religious buildings, such as recent anti-Israel demonstrations outside New York synagogues or the Kansas church that picketed military funerals. Courts and politicians continually struggle to balance protesters' rights with worshippers' protections.
Legal scholars Vikram Amar and Alan Brownstein recently analysed laws regarding protest-free buffer zones around houses of worship, noting that with such regulations "the devil (no religious pun intended) will be in the details." The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld protesters' rights to demonstrate outside sanctuaries, as with Westboro Baptist Church's controversial protests, while allowing states to impose reasonable limitations.
"The First Amendment doesn't protect us from disturbance if it's a peaceful protest and it's far enough away," Haynes explained, referencing proposed legislation in New York that would keep protests 25 feet from worship property lines.
Mixed Reactions to Recent Church Protest
The recent Cities Church protest has received relatively little support, even from religious groups critical of immigration enforcement. About three dozen protesters entered during Sunday service, some approaching the pulpit while others chanted "ICE out" and referenced Renee Good, fatally shot by an ICE officer in January.
Kevin Ezell, president of the Southern Baptists' North American Mission Board, stated "No cause — political or otherwise — justifies the desecration of a sacred space or the intimidation and trauma inflicted on families gathered peacefully in the house of God."
Even clergy opposing current immigration tactics expressed discomfort. Brian Kaylor, who has criticised immigration policies, said he was "very torn" by the church protest, adding "It would be very alarming if we come to see this become a widespread tactic across the political spectrum."
Security Concerns and Legal Consequences
Religious congregations have intensified security protocols following deadly attacks on houses of worship. Many faith leaders expressed concern when federal immigration agencies gained authority to make arrests in churches, schools and hospitals last January, ending previous protections for sensitive spaces.
Bishop Mariann Budde, who protested ICE in Minnesota this week, offered a measured response: "No one should fear for their safety or security in a house of worship — whether they are members of Cities Church or immigrants afraid to enter for fear of detention. We must protect the sanctity of every sacred space and the safety of all who gather in prayer."
The three arrested protesters face federal charges under a law originally enacted after the Civil War to counter groups like the Ku Klux Klan, revised since to address constitutional rights violations. Penalties include up to ten years imprisonment, with enhanced sentences for injuries, deaths or property destruction.
While some churches now post notices prohibiting federal immigration officers, others report attendance declines during enforcement surges. No immigration raids during church services have been reported, but the tension between protest rights and worship sanctity continues to challenge American religious and legal communities.
