This browser does not support the Video element.
Woman arrested at church protest, charges dropped
Charges against an anti-ICE protester have been dropped in connection to a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul on Easter Sunday. This comes months after multiple arrests were made following a protest at the church.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Charges against an anti-ICE protester have been dropped in connection to a protest outside Cities Church in St. Paul on Easter Sunday. This comes months after multiple arrests were made following a protest in the church.
Charges dropped against protester
What we know:
The woman arrested for protesting was released from jail on Monday and the judge dismissed the charges against her because she ruled the case lacked probable cause.
"I'm out and the charges have been dismissed … let's go," Emily Phillips, 34, of Steven's Point, Wicsonsin, said after being released.
She made her first court appearance on Monday. There were a small group of supporters at the courthouse.
What we don't know:
Prosecutors can refile charges. It's unclear if or when they will do this.
Easter protest at Cities Church
The backstory:
St. Paul police say its officers were working contracted overtime at Cities Church when a group of protesters gathered outside the church during Easter services around 8:35 a.m. on Sunday.
Protesters were "using a blow-horn and yelling loudly, disrupting the church services," according to police. Officers say they then warned protesters to stop or face citations and possible arrests, and the majority of them complied.
One woman, according to police, did not comply and was arrested for "interference with religious observance" and St. Paul City Ordinances 293.02 and 293.07. Minnesota statutes list interference with religious observance as a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Anti-ICE protester arrested at Cities Church in St. Paul
Police say they arrested a woman for "interference with religious observance" during a protest outside of Cities Church in St. Paul on Easter Sunday. A protest at the same church in January led to federal charges against several people.
Cities Church protest in January leads to federal charges
Dig deeper:
A group of protesters disrupted church services on Jan. 18, demanding Pastor David Easterwood resign over his work as the acting director of the ICE field office in St. Paul.
READ MORE: Cities Church protest: 5 defendants plead not guilty to charges
Video showed protesters chanting and bringing the service to a halt.
Federal prosecutors then brought charges against seven of the demonstrators, including organizer Nekima Levy-Armstrong and St. Paul School Board Member Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and two journalists who entered the church covering the protest, former CNN anchor Don Lemon and Twin Cities independent reporter Georgia Fort.
Another 30 people were indicted in connection to the protest in late February.
Charges against a photojournalist covering the protest were dropped.