Christian author, activist, and, Red Letter Christians co-founder Shane Claiborne indirectly defended anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a Southern Baptist worship service in St. Paul, Minnesota, last Sunday.
On Jan. 18, a group of anti-ICE protesters deliberately disrupted a worship service at Cities Church, a church plant in St. Paul supported by the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Send Network. The protesters entered the church as the congregation—including men, women, and children—was worshiping.
Cities Church leadership described the anti-ICE protesters as “agitators” who “jarringly disrupted our worship gathering.” Cities Church said, “They accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat.”
“Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated. Invading a church service to disrupt the worship of Jesus—or any other act of worship—is protected by neither the Christian Scriptures nor the laws of this nation,” they added.
Shane Claiborne: ‘Jesus Literally Staged a Protest in the Temple’
“Jesus literally staged a protest IN THE TEMPLE. Flipped some tables…and drove out the folks pretending to be holy,” Claiborne posted on X. “It seems pretty clear that one of the most offensive things to God is when people use religion to cover up their greed and bigotry. Rebuke it. In the name of Jesus.”
Jesus literally staged a protest
IN
THE
TEMPLE.Flipped some tables… and drove out the folks pretending to be holy.
It seems pretty clear that one of the most offensive things to God is when people use religion to cover up their greed and bigotry.
Rebuke it. In the name of… pic.twitter.com/4QFq7KF9yV
— Shane Claiborne (@ShaneClaiborne) January 21, 2026
Claiborne made the statement while rebuking comments from U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“Jesus Christ would never have stormed a church in protest of the people who were running it,” Bondi said during a press conference condemning the anti-ICE church protest.
Claiborne’s comment is in reference to Matthew 21:12-13: “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, ‘It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.’”
RELATED: ‘We Will Protect Our Churches’—Feds Arrest 3 People Involved in Anti-ICE Church Protest
On Thursday, Jan. 22, federal agents arrested three people involved in the anti-ICE protest: Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly.
While providing updates on the arrests, Bondi posted, “Our nation was settled and founded by people fleeing religious persecution. Religious freedom is the bedrock of this country. We will protect our pastors. We will protect our churches. We will protect Americans of faith.”
Christian Leaders Strongly Disagree With Shane Claiborne
River Valley lead pastor Rob Ketterling told Claiborne he “couldn’t be more wrong…you don’t get to break the law and terrorize children and claim you’re doing just like Jesus did in flipping tables.”
“You couldn’t be more wrong. First of all, it was HIS HOUSE. ‘My Father’s house will be called a house of prayer.’ Secondly it was against commercial corruption of worship not legislation,” Ketterling said. “Third, he didn’t terrorize children. Fourth he stayed and ministered after. He didn’t terrorize and taunt people on their way out. Fifth Jesus fulfilled prophesy when doing so, the protestors just broke MN law and may have violated the FACE Act.”
