Civil rights lawyer, former Minn NAACP pres, stages 'Operation Pull Up' at St Paul Christian church to harass worshipers, pastor who works for ICE

Activist civil rights lawyer Nekima Armstrong staged an anti-ICE mob action called "Operation Pull Up" on Sunday in Minnesota, where agitators rushed into a church service, disrupting worshipers and accusing the pastor of working for ICE. The Department of Justice is now investigating the incident.

The group invited Don Lemon to come document the action. He interviewed Armstrong in the parking lot outside the church. "This is Operation Pull Up," Armstrong said, "more of a clandestine operation. We show up somewhere that is a key location. They don't expect us to come there. We disrupt business as usual. So that's what we're about to go do right now." 

She later added, "Demanding justice for Renee Good and letting them know that this will not stand. They cannot pretend to be a house of God while harboring someone who is directing ICE agents to wreak havoc upon our community and who killed Renee Good and who almost killed a 6-month-old baby. Enough is enough. I am a reverend on top of being a lawyer and an activist, so I come here in the power of almighty God."

In another video posted by anti-ICE activist Jonathan Mason, the "Operation Pull Up" was also mentioned regarding the Renaissance hotel where ICE was allegedly staying at. The video from Mazon showed anti-ICE agitators surrounding the entrance of a hotel in Minnesota, and making loud noises to disrupt where the federal agents were staying. 

Armstrong is an "award-winning civil rights lawyer, scholar-activist, and past president of the Minneapolis NAACP," per her website. During the mob action against the church service, Lemon said that he was there "not as an activist, but as a journalist" to see what was taking place. He also provided donuts and coffee to activists and praised them for their service.

After the mob stormed the church in St. Paul, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said, "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. 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."

David Easterwood, a pastor in the church, is also the reported director of an ICE facility in Minnesota. He was the target of Armstrong's Operation Pull Up. 

In the aftermath of the incident, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the DOJ Harmeet Dhillon said on X that the DOJ will be investigating potential violations of the FACE Act after the mob was "desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers."