Don Lemon Charged After Mob Storms Church During Sunday Worship as Attacks on US Churches Hit Record Highs
Attacks on U.S. churches surged from 50 in 2018 to 485 in 2023 as Tony Perkins warns hostility is becoming institutional resistance.
Is America's War on Churches Going From Vandalism to Full Scale Institutional Persecution?
The Family Research Council has released alarming new data showing that hostility toward American churches has surged dramatically in recent years. According to their Hostility Against Churches report, incidents targeting U.S. churches rose from just 50 in 2018 to a staggering 485 in 2023, with 415 recorded in 2024.
FRC President Tony Perkins, writing in The Christian Post, argues that this rising hostility extends far beyond vandalism and physical threats. He points to what he calls "institutional resistance" against religious exercise taking root across the nation.
Religious freedom is not being attacked because it is in retreat. It's attacked because it is advancing.
Perkins cites increasing pressure on conscience protections in healthcare, faith based adoption and foster care providers being forced out of states for adhering to biblical truth, and regulatory agencies treating religious organizations as obstacles rather than partners in civil society.
The confrontation at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, serves as the article's focal point. On January 18, 2026, approximately three dozen protesters stormed the church during Sunday morning worship, chanting "ICE out" and terrorizing the congregation, including children. The protest targeted Pastor David Easterwood, who also serves as acting director of the ICE field office in St. Paul.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was present and livestreaming the disruption. He and eight others were subsequently charged with conspiracy against rights of religious freedom and interfering with the exercise of religious freedom at a place of worship. Lemon has pleaded not guilty, claiming he was present as a journalist.
The Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, investigated the incident. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon called it "desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers."
Church Attacks Skyrocket as Tony Perkins Warns Believers Must Not Retreat From the Public Square
Perkins argues that the appropriate response is not retreat but advance. He calls on believers to exercise their convictions openly through government participation, pulpit engagement, and public testimony.
If faith withdraws from the public square, hostility wins.
He emphasizes that religious liberty is strongest when it is visible, urging Christians across the country to refuse to be intimidated into silence by those who would suppress the free exercise of faith.
The Crusader's Opinion
Let's call this what it is. An angry mob stormed a house of God on a Sunday morning, terrified children in their seats, and screamed down worshippers for the crime of praying. And Don Lemon was right there filming it like a spectacle for clicks. Imagine for one second if a group of Christians stormed a mosque during Friday prayers and livestreamed the chaos. Every government agency, every newsroom, every international body would be on fire with outrage. But when it happens to Christians in America? Silence. Or worse, justification. Tony Perkins is right. The hostility is growing because the faith is not backing down. Good. We should never back down. Every church that keeps its doors open in the face of this hatred is a fortress of the Kingdom. Every believer who refuses to be silenced is a soldier of Christ. The gates of hell will not prevail.
Take Action
- Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators and demand they support stronger federal enforcement of laws protecting houses of worship. Find your representatives at congress.gov.
- Read and share the Family Research Council's Hostility Against Churches report at www.frc.org to raise awareness about the growing threat to American churches.
- Support persecuted Christians worldwide and domestically through www.TheShepherdsShield.org.
- Donate to legal defense organizations fighting for religious liberty, including First Liberty Institute and Alliance Defending Freedom.
- Pray for Cities Church in St. Paul and all congregations facing hostility. Share this story with your church community and discuss how your congregation can prepare for and respond to threats.
