ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Dozens of anti-immigration enforcement protesters who face federal criminal charges after they interrupted a Minnesota church service in January, accompanied by former CNN journalist Don Lemon, will not additionally face state charges, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao said in a statement that "current evidence is insufficient to meet that standard for criminal charges under Minnesota state statutes,” a determination heavily criticized by the lead pastor at Cities Church, where the protest occurred.
“This decision should not be interpreted as an endorsement of unlawful behavior or public disorder,” Kao said. “The right to peacefully protest is protected, as is the right to exercise one’s religious beliefs. Balancing these equally important rights is paramount to our decision today.”
The U.S. Justice Department brought federal civil rights charges against 39 people, including Lemon and another independent journalist, after a livestreamed video showed a group of people interrupting services at Cities Church on Jan. 18 by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.” Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis amid a surge in federal immigration enforcement.
The protesters had learned that one of the church pastors was also an ICE official who had been overseeing the intensive operation in Minnesota.
“According to the St. Paul City Attorney’s logic, it is perfectly fine for agitators to invade a mosque, a cathedral, or a temple, intimidate the families and children inside, and shut down their religious gathering. Just call it a ‘protest,’” Cities Church lead pastor Jonathan Parnell said in a written statement.
Violence, destruction of property and threats to public safety remain serious concerns, Kao said, but none of that occurred during the demonstration.
Attorneys for the church said that just because the protesters did not break windows or destroy property doesn't mean they didn't break the law.
At least four states — Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kansas — adopted laws this year making it a crime to disrupt worship services.
FILE - Cities Church is seen on Jan. 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — With his shock of golden hair and trim 700-kilogram (1,500-pound) build, Donald Trump has been drawing crowds from across Bangladesh since he arrived at the national zoo last week.
The rare albino buffalo became a sensation when a farmer noticed that his blond tuft of hair resembled the distinctive locks of the U.S. president. After a video of the pale horned mammal went viral on social media, large numbers of people started showing up at the farm outside Dhaka to see him for themselves.
The animal was originally meant to be slaughtered for the Muslim festival of sacrifice. But citing security concerns, the government ordered him transferred to the zoo in the capital, where large crowds are now braving sweltering heat to see him.
On Tuesday, visitors pressed against the fence of the buffalo's enclosure, filming with their phones as some fathers hoisted small children on their shoulders for a better view.
A zoo worker pampered the animal, brushing his hair to one side and hosing him down with water to keep him cool as fans blew on him.
“There is a resemblance to Donald Trump in its eyes, hairstyle, and skin color,” said Mohammed Nasim, a student in Dhaka. “And just as Donald Trump has a distinctive personality and lifestyle, this buffalo, after going viral, is now living a similar kind of life, enjoying a lot of attention and special treatment.”
Local media reported that the exhibit initially included a sign that said “Donald Trump,” which has since been removed. The zoo curator was fired Saturday, though no official cause was given for the dismissal.
Some clearly found the naming in poor taste.
“Giving a farm animal the name of one of the world’s most influential leaders was certainly the wrong thing to do," said Dhaka resident Mohammad Joynal Adedin, who visited the zoo to see the buffalo anyway. “It seems disrespectful. I think the farmer who did this made a poor decision.”
The buffalo was sold ahead of Eid al-Adha, the “Feast of Sacrifice.” When Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed ordered police to take the animal into custody, the authorities refunded the buyer.
"Since before Eid, I had been seeing posts on Facebook saying that ‘Donald Trump’ would be sacrificed. Later, I heard that instead of being sacrificed, it had been placed in a zoo,” said Mohammad Habibur Rahman, a visitor to the zoo from the southwestern Bangladeshi city of Jashore.
“So, I thought I would come to the zoo and see ‘Donald Trump’ for myself," he said.
Visitors look at a rare albino buffalo fondly named after Donald Trump for its distinctive blond tuft kept in an enclosure at the national zoo, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)
A rare albino buffalo fondly named after Donald Trump for its distinctive blond tuft stands in an enclosure at the national zoo, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Al-emrun Garjon)
A rare albino buffalo fondly named after Donald Trump for its distinctive blond tuft kept in an enclosure at the national zoological park, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)
