Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks to reporters after he announced that he would not seek reelection, at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. January 5, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Evans TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
(Minneapolis, Minnesota) – Two activists arrested for disrupting Sunday church services during an anti-ICE protest in St. Paul, Minnesota, were released from federal detention Friday after a judge ruled the government failed to justify holding them.
Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen were freed following a court order stating prosecutors did not meet the burden required for a detention hearing. Video posted online showed the pair emerging from custody, raising their fists and greeting supporters. “Thank you all for being here. Glory to God,” Armstrong said.
A judge also ordered the release of a third activist, William Kelly, ruling he did not pose a danger to the public, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The releases come amid controversy after the White House posted a digitally altered image of Armstrong’s arrest online, falsely depicting her crying and darkening her skin tone. The image was captioned in all caps accusing her of orchestrating “church riots.” The manipulation was exposed after Kristi Noem had earlier shared the original, unedited photo showing Armstrong composed during the arrest.
Video later released by Armstrong’s nonprofit, the Racial Justice Network, further contradicted the altered image. Footage filmed by her husband shows Armstrong calmly asking federal agents why she was being recorded and requesting to be treated with dignity. At no point in the video did she cry or lose her composure.
In an audio statement shared with the Associated Press, Armstrong accused the Trump administration of using AI-manipulated images to smear her politically. “We are being persecuted for speaking out,” she said, calling the arrest a “significant abuse of power” tied to her opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
