News Source
EXCERPT:
“The city of Saint Paul has officially determined the January 18 invasion of our church and the desecration of our worship to be a ‘peaceful protest.'”
The lead pastor of Cities Church in St Paul, Minnesota, has criticized the city’s mayor after agitators who stormed the church in January, including former CNN reporter Don Lemon, have avoided state charges related to the incident.
In a statement on Wednesday, city attorney Irene Kao said, “Our office has a legal and ethical obligation to file charges only when the available evidence establishes probable cause and supports a reasonable likelihood of conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.”
She said that following a “careful evaluation of the video footage, investigative reports, and other available materials, prosecutors determined that the current evidence is insufficient to meet that standard for criminal charges under Minnesota state statutes.” She added, “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.”