Minnesota civil rights activist and attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong was arrested Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in connection with a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul.
Following her arrest, controversy is now growing over the White House’s decision to share an altered image of her arrest on social media.
A senior White House official confirmed to NBC News that an image posted online had been digitally modified to make Levy Armstrong appear as though she were crying.
The original photograph, first shared on X by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, showed Levy Armstrong looking ahead calmly as law enforcement officers took her into custody.
The altered image was later circulated by White House-linked social media accounts. A senior administration official described the post as a “meme” and pointed NBC News to a statement by White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr, who wrote on X: “Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue.”
The incident comes amid a broader pattern during President Donald Trump’s second term, in which administration officials have increasingly used memes and AI-generated imagery on official government social media platforms to promote political messaging.
Arrests Linked to Church Protest
Levy Armstrong was arrested alongside Chauntyll Louisa Allen and William Kelly following a demonstration last Sunday that interrupted a worship service at a St. Paul church. Protest organizers said the action was aimed at demanding the resignation of the church’s pastor, David Easterwood, alleging he has ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that Levy Armstrong would be charged under a federal law prohibiting the physical obstruction of houses of worship.
Her attorney, Jordan Kushner, rejected the characterization of the protest as criminal, telling NBC News that his client “was arrested for doing a peaceful nonviolent protest in a church” and that demonstrators “were engaged in an exercise of free speech.”
Escalating Tensions in Minnesota
The arrests come against the backdrop of escalating protests across Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer. Demonstrations have intensified in recent weeks, prompting the Trump administration to surge additional federal personnel into the state.
The administration has also amplified allegations of fraud at Somali-run daycare centers—claims that have circulated widely among right-wing influencers—further fueling tensions in affected communities.
President Trump has publicly floated invoking the Insurrection Act, a move that could authorize the deployment of U.S. troops to the region in response to civil unrest.
While visiting Minneapolis on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance issued a stern warning to protesters. “If you go and storm a church, if you go and assault a former law enforcement officer, we’re going to try very hard, we’re going to use every resource of the federal government to put you in prison,” Vance said.
Civil liberties advocates have raised concerns about the arrests, the use of altered imagery by government accounts, and what they describe as an increasingly aggressive federal response to protests in Minnesota.
