Provocateur Shouts Outside Courtroom in Minnesota

Courtroom Outburst Draws Attention

William Kelly, a well known protest figure, did not go quietly into a federal courtroom in St. Paul. After appearing on charges tied to the January disruption at Cities Church he stepped outside and delivered an impassioned and loud message. Court observers and videos show him calling for more people to confront federal agents and describing Immigration and Customs Enforcement as executioners. The spectacle did not play out like someone trying to avoid extra legal trouble. It looked like someone doubling down on publicity, and that will not sit well with judges or jurors who value order and respect for the law.

What He Told the Crowd

Kelly insisted he is a combat veteran and a patriot and claimed his actions were part of a resistance against tyranny. He named public figures and accused some federal employees of wrongdoing with strong language. He said the so called peaceful protesters were being persecuted while those he called executioners were still working for the government. Those are serious charges to hurl in public. Making accusations and shouting slogans outside a courtroom is one thing. Backing those accusations with evidence in a court of law is another. Rhetoric like this can energize supporters but it also risks new charges and harsher treatment from prosecutors.

Legal Lines He Crossed

Federal law protects the free exercise of religion and also forbids disrupting religious services. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances statute has provisions that have been used to punish people who interfere with places of worship. According to charging documents, Kelly and associates entered a church service in January and created a disturbance. Authorities say the group also targeted children with abusive language. If the facts in those documents are accurate then federal charges for conspiracy to deprive rights are serious. Courts do not treat the right to protest as a license to harass worshippers, especially children, inside a house of worship.

Allegations Involving Children and Worship

Witnesses and recordings cited by prosecutors describe individuals yelling at worshippers and saying inflammatory things in the presence of children. That raises not only criminal concerns but moral ones too. Private religious services are settings where families and children should be able to worship without fear of verbal attacks. Courts routinely weigh the free speech claims of protesters against the rights of religious assemblies to meet peacefully. When protesters cross into harassment or threats the law bends in favor of protecting worshippers and maintaining public order.

Lawyers, Strategy, and the Risk of Spectacle

Kelly publicly mocked the relevance of the law and claimed his attorneys told him there was no case. If true or not that kind of public chest beating rarely helps a defense. Lawyers typically want clients to limit public statements so they do not prejudice a jury or attract new charges. Strutting in front of cameras and daring authorities to act can be a political move. It can also become evidence of intent or a consciousness of guilt in the eyes of prosecutors. Defense teams facing federal conspiracy charges usually advise restraint because courtroom outcomes depend on facts, not slogans.

Public Reaction and Political Fallout

Republican elected officials and conservative commentators quickly condemned the disruption and called for strict enforcement of the law. Social media amplified both outrage and support. Some called for Kelly to be detained to prevent further disturbances. Others framed the event as a free speech fight. Either way the episode keeps attention on the broader tensions between activist protest tactics and the rights of religious communities. If courts apply the law consistently officials will send a clear message that worship spaces are not battlefields for political theater.

(warning: incredibly vulgar – which is the point…make sure your children aren't around)

I was personally subjected to this when I preached there. I could care less about myself. No sweat off my back, and it gives me faces to pray for.

However, allowing this to happen to… https://t.co/L27xKFcwQb

— Brooks Potteiger (@BrooksPotteiger) January 19, 2026

NEW: Completely unhinged liberal lunatic starts screaming at Christians trying to worship at a church in Minnesota.

“As you can see, all these pretend Christians, all these comfortable white people who are living lavish, comfortable lives…”

“Touch me again and see what… pic.twitter.com/jUCi2HYTVH

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 18, 2026

Ok ✅ pic.twitter.com/tQZNbKFABA

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 22, 2026

William Kelly is being charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, a federal crime, for his involvement in the St. Paul church riots. pic.twitter.com/cXuuvQ9zxR

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 22, 2026

🚨 WTF?! William Kelly — a terrorist who stormed the church in Minnesota — just stormed out of court and demanded MORE leftists terrorize federal agents

"This is a RESISTANCE against FASCISM!"

"The EXECUTIONERS are walking free!"

He must be LOCKED UP.pic.twitter.com/KOByJvTXQn

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 13, 2026

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! PLEASE COMMENT BELOW.

JIMMY

Find more articles like this at steadfastandloyal.com.

Having trouble? If your comment doesn’t post, submit another comment right after it that says: Jimmy, please approve my comment that didn’t post.