Pastor Joe Rigney told Newsmax's "Wake Up America" on Wednesday morning that anti-immigration enforcement protesters who interrupted a Sunday worship service in St. Paul, Minnesota, earlier this month should face prosecution for crossing a line.
Rigney said the disruption at Cities Church was more than a political stunt — it was an invasion of what he called "a sacred space," and warned that failing to respond could normalize intimidation of church congregations.
"I got to admit, it was surreal," Rigney said, describing watching activists enter the sanctuary during the worship service.
Rigney, a former founding pastor, said he spent eight years working at the church and still has "a lot of friends" there.
"I can't believe that we've got to this point where activists feel like there's nothing sacred," he said.
The pastor urged authorities to "crack down on this and say this is absolutely unacceptable" because, if not, people may begin to think "this is the new normal."
He argued there is a difference between lawful protest and intimidation of people who are just trying to go to church.
"We have no problem if people want to petition the government because they disagree with its policies," Rigney said. "That's a part of being an American."
However, he said, "to follow law enforcement agents to the places where they worship and to seek to intimidate them and their families, to frighten their children ... and to disrupt a worship service" descends into anarchy.
"These are normal Christians," Rigney said. "All they wanted to do ... is worship Jesus, love each other, serve their community. That's the priorities of this church."
The Cities Church protesters should "absolutely" be prosecuted, he said, both for their "lawless" conduct and to deter others from mounting similar protests.
"The Bible teaches us that the governing authority should be a terror to bad conduct," he said. "They should punish evildoers. That's the fundamental rule, is to keep law, to keep order."
Rigney said he wants to see "people in jail" and hopes that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem follows through on her statement that arrests over the incident are imminent.
"As of now, I've seen Democratic officials supporting and praising it, from the attorney general, Keith Ellison, in Minnesota to some state legislators who are saying this needs to continue," he said. "And so, there's no sign that the Democrats think this is beyond the bounds."
"Instead, they think that this is perfectly appropriate, which ... [is] absolutely shameful," Rigney added.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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