The Nonviolent Nine Plead Not Guilty in Federal Court
- Rebecca Gilbuena
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
ST. PAUL — All nine individuals charged in connection with last month’s protest at Cities Church have entered not guilty pleas to federal charges.
Independent journalist Georgia Fort and Black Lives Matter Minnesota co-founder Trahern Crews were arraigned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul. They face charges of conspiracy against rights of religious freedom at a place of worship and violations of the federal FACE Act.
They entered not guilty pleas on charges stemming from a January 18 protest, when several dozen demonstrators gathered at Cities Church to call attention to Pastor David Easterwood, who also serves as acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office.
Georgia Fort: “This Is a Global Crisis”
After leaving the federal courthouse following her hearing, Georgia described the prosecution as an attempt to silence her reporting.
“This case doesn’t just leave me fighting for my freedom,” she said. “It is the government trying to muzzle me — to make me unable to report on one of the most historic cases, not just in our state, but in our country.”
She also laid out how her arrest is part of a broader pattern of attacks on journalists, something she has been consistently vocal about.
“The attack on the press did not start or end with my arrest,” she said, citing the case of independent journalist Mario Guevara who was jailed for more than 100 days while covering ICE arrests in Atlanta and later deported despite having a valid work visa. She also referenced recent local incidents, including KARE 11 anchor Jana Shortal, who was sprayed with chemical agents while covering protests following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
She pointed to additional cases, including the 2020 live-on-air arrest of CNN reporter Omar Jimenez in Minneapolis and journalists who were assaulted by St. Paul police during an ICE arrest in November. Georgia argued that these incidents reflect a growing hostility toward the press.
“This isn’t just a U.S. problem. This is a global crisis,” she said, citing reporting from Al Jazeera that more than 250 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza. Georgia urged fellow journalists to get the story right, emphasizing the broader First Amendment implications.
"We live in a time when AI images and AI videos are shaping our world's reality with a portion of our society living in delusion. So if you stand for truth, I need you to stand up today," Georgia said. "And not just for me, and not just for all journalists, but for anyone who was having their first Amendment violated."
Trahern Crews: “We Want ICE Out of Our Communities”
Trahern used the moment to call for the removal of ICE from local communities and to demand justice for Keith Porter, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti. He also offered condolences to the family of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, highlighting a legacy of economic empowerment and fair housing advocacy.
Drawing contrasts with former President Donald Trump, Crews criticized current federal policies and rising Black unemployment rates in Washington, D.C., and nationwide.
"Jesus was a carpenter, not an ICE agent," Trahern said. "We call on all religious institutions to combat white nationalism and institutional racism within their organizations."
He concluded by demanding that federal prosecutors drop the charges.
Nekima Levy Armstrong: “Governmental Overreach”
Nekima, who was arraigned last Friday, was at the federal courthouse today in support of the co-defendents. She characterized the prosecution as malicious and governmental overreach.
"We will continue to fight this case vigorously until these charges are dropped or dismissed or we win this case," Nekima said. "Anyone who cares about justice should be watching what happens to this case closely."
She called on members of Cities Church to speak out now that they are aware of Easterwood’s dual roles as pastor and ICE field office director.
No further court dates have been scheduled for the Nonviolent Nine at this time.
Comments