Patriot Brief

  • What Happened: Alabama lawmakers are considering a bill making disruption of worship services a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
  • Why It Matters: The bill comes after protesters stormed a Minnesota church to attack a pastor tied to ICE, blocking parents from their children and forcing the service to end.
  • Bottom Line: Republican Rep. Greg Barnes said Alabama will not tolerate "crazy people" intimidating women and children in churches.

Alabama lawmakers are done playing games with radical activists who storm churches and terrorize families.

The Alabama House of Representatives is preparing to vote on House Bill 363, which would make disrupting a church service a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A second offense would carry a mandatory minimum of five years.

Republican state Rep. Greg Barnes, who introduced the bill, made his position crystal clear. "No one has the right to disrupt a church service and infringe on their fellow citizens' right to worship freely," Barnes said. "In Alabama, we are not going to sit by and allow crazy people to intimidate our women and children in our churches. We simply will not tolerate it."

The bill came in response to a coordinated attack on Cities Church of St. Paul, Minnesota, last month. Protesters stormed the building during a worship service to target a pastor tied to a local ICE office. One protester physically blocked parents from accessing their children. A churchgoer was injured while trying to flee.

According to the federal indictment, protesters engaged in "a coordinated take-over style attack" that included "acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction." The pastor and congregation were forced to terminate the service. Families fled out of fear for their safety. Young children were left wondering if their parents were going to die.

Protesters interrupted the sermon with loud chants like "ICE Out!" and "Stand up, fight back!" They blew whistles. They yelled. They physically blocked people from moving freely inside their own church.

Some defenders claim the protest was protected by the First Amendment. Others say it violated the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which protects houses of worship from physical intimidation.

Alabama lawmakers are not interested in debating whether terrorizing families in church is free speech. They are making it a felony. If you storm a church, disrupt a service, block parents from their kids, or intimidate worshippers, you are going to prison for up to 10 years.

This is how you protect religious freedom. Not with statements. Not with press releases. With real consequences for the radical left when they cross the line.