EJ Haust, official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show and self-described political refugee from Minnesota, disputed claims made by activist Nekima Levy Armstrong regarding the disruptive protest at a Southern Baptist-affiliated church in St. Paul earlier this week, arguing that video evidence and timelines contradict her public account of the incident.
Protesters targeted the church during a Sunday service after activists claimed one of its part-time pastors was connected to ICE. Federal officials later announced a civil rights investigation, and Armstrong was among three individuals arrested in connection with the incident.
However, Armstrong claimed in a CNN interview that protesters did not rush the church but instead sat through the service and spoke only after the pastor concluded a prayer.
“We did not rush into that church. We actually went and sat down and participated in the service. And after the pastor prayed, that is when I stood up and asked him a question in response to his prayer…We didn’t rush in, we didn’t bust in,” she claimed during the interview.
Noting how Armstrong’s account went unchallenged by the network, Hausts said her explanation was implausible.
Haust pointed to videos circulated online – including footage released by the protesters themselves – which she said contradict Armstrong’s claim that they were seated and participating in worship prior to the disruption.
“The video starts with them walking down the aisles,” Haust stressed.
She also challenged the broader timeline presented by Armstrong, noting that media activity outside the church would have alerted attendees if the group had arrived quietly before the service began.
“The timeline does not pan out for them,” Haust said.
Further, Haust pointed out how Armstrong had also been recorded prior to entering the church, stating an intent to disrupt the service, which he said directly undermines her later portrayal of the protest as respectful and spontaneous.
“If her story on CNN [were] true, it’s on video somewhere,” Haust said. “But it’s not.”
Haust concluded that Armstrong “completely destroyed her defense” with her televised statements on CNN.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
