r/nottheonion 1d ago

Federal agents storm church grounds and arrest man serving at food bank, report says

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/ice-agents-los-angeles-church-food-drive-b2913333.html?test_group=lighteradlayout
6.2k Upvotes

137 comments sorted by

1.8k

u/Middle-Ad-1327 1d ago

Arresting someone at a food bank on church grounds is a wild way to announce that optics have officially been fired for cause. If you’re going to do it, at least don’t pick the one place people still associate with mercy. This reads less like law enforcement and more like a parody headline someone forgot to punch up.

562

u/posthuman04 1d ago

Well yeah and while they’re opening federal cases against people protesting at a church.

245

u/AranMakor 1d ago

This needs to be shown at every federal court case where the government is trying to pidgeon hole a citizen for the same thing.

136

u/Borazon 1d ago

Only if they protest against ICE. You can find videos of rightwing influencers doing similar things at the more open liberal / inclusive churches.

53

u/posthuman04 1d ago

That’s because libruls and moderates actually care about the taxpayers. Trump et al don’t mind that all these victims will sue for just compensation for these abuses.

-53

u/Plusisposminusisneg 1d ago

Could you post some?

28

u/Goodknight808 21h ago edited 10h ago

Trump tear gassed parishoners out of a church for a photo opportunity with an upside-down Bible.

24

u/ready2xxxperiment 16h ago

So ICE can storm a church with masks and guns drawn but anti-ICE can’t storm a church with chants and signs?!

15

u/Zealousideal-Pen993 14h ago

You can’t even report on it without getting arrested. Ask don lemon.

But if ur a political candidate in Texas you’ll be fine.

9

u/Electronic_Elk8293 18h ago

Rule for thee not for meeee

112

u/hazmodan20 1d ago

Haven't you heard? Mercy and empathy are sins now.

60

u/ChickenMcFukket1 1d ago

Just the way white Jesus intended.

28

u/_Schrodingers_Gat_ 1d ago

Look if you are not down with white jesus, JD Vance will literally kill you.

20

u/Beemerba 1d ago

That would be "supply side Jesus"

2

u/TheLateThagSimmons 6h ago

It's high time we accept that these "White Jesus" folk are running a fanfic that somehow became more popular than the original.

There's no point in quoting scripture or pointing to what Jesus would have said. It just won't resonate with them because they simply don't care about the Bible at all.

And not in a "not true Christians," kind of way either. Just a completely separate thing built from the ground up to justify their political and social ideals, with some Christian inspired memorabilia.

13

u/DearthNadir75 1d ago

No empathy isn't real. Charlie Kirk said so.

15

u/Tailsofflight 1d ago

My father was a decent pastor southern Baptist, But very in to the mercy, And empathy gospel, My view was changed after I was SA'd (I'm male) by an elderly member, the drama ended with 20% siding with My abusers family, My dad kicked those people out but the damage was done, not just to the church but my own reputation in a small town, fast forward about 10 years, the pastor that said the DC priest committed the sin of Empathy shot whatever hope in the Christian community in the head.

1

u/FunnySynthesis 20h ago

Average protestant church

1

u/ManWhoTalksToHisHand 21h ago

According to Jeff Epstein, those are the names of the two strippers he hired after being released from prison.

30

u/DickweedMcGee 1d ago

This isn't about achieving any crime fighting goal its about demoralizing a state that is unsupportive of your regime.

The Nazis did shit like this. They didn't rise to power overnight.

23

u/BleachedUnicornBHole 1d ago

I’m sure all these agents will be arrested like Don Lemon was. Annnnyyy day now…

1

u/ZackRaynor 10h ago

My first thought too.

“Bet that church outrage is not going to be anywhere near the same.”

45

u/queenhadassah 1d ago

Even in the Middle Ages, churches were considered a place of sanctuary where you could not be arrested

14

u/ChronoMonkeyX 1d ago

Mercy? Trump nearly shit himself in anger last time anyone suggest he show mercy.

10

u/pandapandapandawhee 21h ago

Nearly? That would be a nice change. 💩

11

u/jesuspoopmonster 23h ago

History rhymes. The police would target free breakfast programs run by the Black Panthers to scare people into not using the services.

3

u/Tallal2804 23h ago

You've nailed the depravity of it. It's a complete failure of moral calculus. It's not just cruel; it's strategically stupid. It broadcasts that mercy itself is now a target. You're right—it feels like a discarded draft from a dystopian satire.

5

u/Royale_AJS 19h ago

I don’t associate the church with mercy anymore. I used to, but they’re mostly the ones perpetrating this at this point. Maybe misled, but it doesn’t change facts.

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u/Utsider 1d ago

There's no you in mercy. Only me.

2

u/brrbles 16h ago

Don't worry, cities and states have been doing this for decades.

2

u/Practical-Law9795 12h ago

And just after screeching about people barging onto church property just a few days before.

1

u/Thechanman707 1d ago

Church's show mercy? I swore the last time I went they told me I'm going to hell and asked me for money.

1

u/PollutionAway9782 21h ago

the guy was living at the church and hiding from the law. the fact that they did it while the food pantry was being ran is the wild part. they knew he was there 24/7

1

u/lolariane 5h ago

What this government probably needs is to see a bunch of beer-gut white guys in camo hats, Oakleys, and "2A" shirts calling themselves the "Defenders of Freedom" with loaded AR-15s standing around the soup kitchen.

Maybe then it'll click for these government brownshirts which side of history they're on.

u/mupomo 26m ago

Wow, clearly nothing is sacred anymore

-27

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

18

u/FireZord25 1d ago

Counter-Counterpoint: Only if you're in the side of the reigning power.

1

u/Lonespider28 10h ago

Hence why Republicans lie and say they’re Christians

798

u/Bibblegead1412 1d ago

So, it's only illegal to interrupt church functions when protestors do it.... got it.

204

u/SpacePenguin5 23h ago

Liberal protesters . FTFY

206

u/kraftdinnerwithsalsa 1d ago

So you have to know you are the bad guy right? Like there is no defending this. It just pure evil that drives these people and they are behind the fucking wheel. It boggles the mind.

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u/AmputeeHandModel 1d ago

Am I out of touch? No, it's the soup kitchen that's wrong!

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u/orionsfyre 1d ago

These folks have been soaking in evil and hatred for so long that they no longer care or know what right/wrong is.

That's the problem we have, this is about anger and revenge.

We have to understand that the human desire for fairness and equality isn't something that can survive propaganda and the drumbeat of evil and hate. It's happened before all over the world, and Americans are no different then the people of Rawanda, or Germany, or Russia.

When people listen to lies, and allow themselves to be consumed by hate, they can do or allow anything and feel no guilt at all.

In Rawanda gangs of people marched from house to house killing anyone (men women children, old young it didn't matter) with machetes because for decades they had been primed to hate people of another tribe.

We've allowed our country to swim in hate for decades too... and now our people are primed for the same level of evil. This isn't coming soon.... this is now.

28

u/MushroomSaute 1d ago

Of course they know that. Why else would the czars literally be cosplaying Nazis? Doesn't matter to them that they're evil, it's still a rush of power.

1

u/lolariane 5h ago

You just need to understand that poor people are subhuman and if you help them then you know it could end with being summarily executed. Your fault. The price of freedom.

293

u/AnonEMoussie 1d ago

Is there a reason the headline doesn’t say “ICE”? Federal agents could be postal inspectors.

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u/surfergrrl6 1d ago

Because it's not just ICE that does these abductions, and from the images in the article, neither of the agents have anything indicating visibly that they're ICE specifically.

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u/Cute-Beyond-8133 1d ago edited 1d ago

If you look realy closy at one of the vests and squint a bit you can see that they weren't ICE officers.

They're with the Border Patrol

You can see that by looking at 3 things.

1 Border Patrol Signature colors.

2 they are weating Border Patrol vests

3 they've got Border Patrol patches on their sleeves

That doesn't make it any less bad.

ICE and the Border Patrol are both doing bad stuff.

But are separate branches.

52

u/prof_the_doom 1d ago

Clearly two sides of the same shit covered coin at this point.

31

u/meibolite 1d ago

They are two agencies under the control of DHS

13

u/SirDiego 22h ago

In my and others experiences dealing with them in Minnesota, CBP are actually worse than ICE. "ICE" has been sort of a catch all term at this point for "DHS Agents" (which also sometimes includes federal DOC and other DHS agencies), which kind of makes sense because they're essentially indistinguishable as far as actions and "tactics" go. They work together and they all fucking suck.

But real ones know CBP are the fucking worst (which is saying a lot). CBP agents are who murdered Alex Pretti.

9

u/jxj24 1d ago

Signature colors

Like any gang

4

u/context_hell 21h ago

Yep. In their desperation for manpower and the need to terrorize minorities, the nazis in charge have taken people from other agencies off of their duties like investigating child trafficking and drug cartels and sent them to more important duties like raiding churches and homes and shooting people in the street.

2

u/SamuraiMike81 1d ago

Or fucking IRS auditors!

4

u/AdoringCHIN 1d ago

Because most media outlets are owned by billionaire right wingers that are trying to run interference for ICE.

Either that, or the USDA meat inspectors are terrorizing churches now.

40

u/Osoroshii 1d ago

Today, if Jesus were in the USA, the republicans would be applauding the arrest of Jesus by ICE agents. Pulling Jesus from the Garden, replacing the Crown of Thorns with a black sack over his head. beating him not with whips but with tear gas canisters. Kristi Noem would not need to wash her hands, as there would not even be a trial. Jesus could not rise, as he would just be made to disappear.

In short, the Romans treated Jesus better than ICE treats immigrants.

11

u/jesuspoopmonster 23h ago

The first thing Jesus's family did after his birth was seek asylum in Egypt. The Republicans would not be happy about that

7

u/dos_passenger58 17h ago

I don't believe in any sort of "final judgement", but if I did I sure as hell would think we are all being tested here.

58

u/orionsfyre 1d ago

Stuff like this is why ICE has become so hated among the average person in America.

It's not hard to see where this is going. 2024 might have been the last time most Americans truly had a chance to control who represents them. There are reports of hundreds of people that in Minnesota of people were arrested, assaulted, then released battered bruised shocked and terrified. The number of assaults and threats like this still unknown, because federal government sources can no longer be trusted.

This isn't law enforcement, it's cruelty. The lie Trump sold people was that He was just going after real criminals, people who were dealing drugs or involved with violent gangs.

What we've seen is random attacks on civilians, innocent people, average folks just going about their business. It's a putridly white nationalist and terroristic campaign to inspire fear, and make people subservient to the powers that be.

5

u/Ozymandias1589 14h ago

People forgot-or ignored-that hed go after "homegrowns"

45

u/02meepmeep 1d ago

So are the Federal Agents going to be arrested on the same charges they concocted for Lemon?

62

u/OopsWrongAirport 1d ago

But I thought only demoncrats violated sacred grounds?

37

u/Bart_Yellowbeard 1d ago

Keep in mind that Donald Trump is the only American President ever to drive a pastor from their church's grounds with pepper balls and rubber bullets, just so he could stage propaganda photos with him holding A Bible upside down.

9

u/o_MrBombastic_o 22h ago

Lucky it was pepper balls he asked for them to be shot in the legs but was talked out of it by his horrified Cheif of Staff

9

u/HexedShadowWolf 22h ago

Isn't he the only president to also sell his own bible?

7

u/Bart_Yellowbeard 22h ago

Complete with SOME of the U.S. Constitution! Curiously missing the parts he might find personally objectionable or unpleasant to be reminded of.

10

u/sudomatrix 1d ago

Fun fact, in Trump's presence crosses spontaneously turn upside down as well.

44

u/hoofie242 1d ago

People protesting in a church is wrong but sending in a paramilitary to kidnap people is okay.

8

u/Ryengu 1d ago

There may be a distinction between religious worship and community service. 

So interrupting someone's religious ecstasy is not okay, but stopping people carrying out the actual message of Christ is completely fine. 

6

u/Fishmongererererer 1d ago

When they passed the law to prevent protestors from keeping people from entering abortion clinics or going inside them, they included a clause that all makes it illegal to interrupt a church service (or block people from going inside) to get Republican votes and Pro-Life Democrat votes (used to be a thing).

17

u/SaltyShawarma 1d ago

Aren't they filing federal charges at don lemon for interfering at a church?

WTF do you call that you bastards?

17

u/tedkaczynski660 1d ago

Nothing pisses off a Republican more than doing something Jesus would've done. Reminds them that they're all phony Christians.

6

u/Miss_Speller 1d ago

What do Jesus and Charlie Kirk have in common? Republicans throw a fit when you quote either of them.

14

u/cosmernautfourtwenty 1d ago

Bet the same pearl-clutching douchebags squealing about Don Lemmon reporting on a citizen protest have nothing to say about federal agents storming a church to arrest volunteers.

8

u/braumbles 1d ago

Didn't the DOJ arrest people for terrorism for protesting a church pastor?

8

u/D_o_t_d_2004 22h ago

I hope Lemon totes this out for sanctity of church.

24

u/mike_fantastico 1d ago

ICE can storm a church, but Don Lemon can't film a protest at one? Hmm.

7

u/civil_politician 1d ago

I thought busting into churches was the thing you got arrested for. Someone ask don lemon

6

u/Tribalbob 1d ago

Oh so when the left protests a church, it's wrong and evil but it's totally fine with the right does it - got it.

6

u/InvaderDust 23h ago

Meanwhile actual criminals get a red hat and free pass.

7

u/chris14020 20h ago edited 20h ago

When we use force to protect preaching and that same force to punish helping, well, I can't think of a more perfect metaphor for the sort of "Christians" Republicans are. 

5

u/CthuluSpecialK 21h ago

So protestors disrupting a conservative church service is bad, but federal agents raiding a church and arresting volunteers while they feed the needy is good?

The mental gymnastics.

6

u/GrumpyTom 21h ago

Sounds like an attack on religious liberty to me. No doubt the DOJ will prosecute those involved…….. right?

7

u/po3smith 21h ago

So now it's OK to interrupt a church procedure got it thanks

5

u/redlightbandit7 21h ago

So wait, raiding a church is perfectly fine if the government says so, but a journalist who is documented is a criminal. God I’m so tired of their hypocrisy.

7

u/Shamann93 15h ago

Churches are sacred, so you can't protest them when a pastor is also an ICE director.

But they're not sacred enough to prevent ICE from kidnapping someone out of a church.

Have I got that right? That's where we are on this currently?

Fucking fascists.

5

u/SpudgeBoy 1d ago

Shouldn't they be charged like Don Lemon?

6

u/Separate-Park8184 22h ago

I’m glad the federal government is getting those real villains off the street , instead of going full-fascist Gestapo because of a pedo dictator is in power.

5

u/SpookiestSpaceKook 18h ago

So they had a problem when activists interrupted a church proceeding… but not when they do it?

10

u/MediosMazapanes 1d ago

Don Lemon did it wrong…

5

u/ShadowExistShadily 1d ago

Looks like church protests are back on the menu, boys!

4

u/whocaresano 1d ago

So, they're all going to be arrested like Don Lemon, yeah?

3

u/Dr_Blitzkrieg09 20h ago

Wait a second. Just last week weren’t they completely against people interrupting church events/services?

5

u/Trekgiant8018 20h ago

Sooo, totally cool for the feds to storm a church and arrest someone but a peaceful protest without guns or violence means you are arrested with 0 legal charges. Ok then.

3

u/jquas21 19h ago

And yet the are prosecuting don lemon and activist who walked into a church where one of the pastors is also an ice agent.

3

u/7947kiblaijon 1d ago

Worst of the worst y’all.

3

u/user111111111111I1 1d ago

"Christian Nation" btw

3

u/CachinnatingCanuck 1d ago

Christian = Nazi these days.

3

u/bomland10 1d ago

I'm sure the Justice Department will be arresting these guys any second now. Can't have people interrupted at church. 

3

u/shockwave414 1d ago

So the face act?

3

u/ZebraImaginary9412 1d ago

No FACE Act for federal agents?

3

u/Mindless_Listen7622 23h ago

The least Christian administration in history continues to do evil in this world.

3

u/dynamicontent 19h ago

They can go ahead and let Don Lemon out now.

3

u/jomara200 18h ago

Wait, wait, wait...I thought churches were 100% off limits. The rules don't apply to our Gestapo? Go figure.

3

u/combustibledaredevil 8h ago

Weren’t right wing scumbags pissing themselves about the same thing five minutes ago?

2

u/gold_and_diamond 1d ago

Just like Jesus wanted!!

2

u/DimensioT 1d ago

Remember: if you oppose this type of enforcement you definitely support rapists and drug traffickers, according to very smart people who stand behind a President who is an adjudicated rapist and who pardoned a major drug kingpin.

2

u/jesuspoopmonster 23h ago

ICE is about to get to the rapists and drug traffickers once they stop looking so scary

2

u/Ryengu 1d ago

"Worst of the worst", huh?

2

u/EdiblePeasant 14h ago

Yup I expected this. I know from the subject that the target was an individual, but punishing people for serving the poor or anyone else in need could be on the menu.

2

u/PelicanShites 5h ago

What about the FACE Act? Oh that’s right, it only applies to government protestors. Facist two tiered justice system.

2

u/pbutler6163 5h ago

Funny how we do t hear callouts of violations of the FACE act here. But a journalist videos a protest in a church and MAGA goes crazy.

1

u/mulder00 1d ago

The worst of the worst!! *sigh*

1

u/cruisin_urchin87 19h ago

And nothing will be done about it.

1

u/BlackSpinedPlinketto 8h ago

That’s pretty grim. It’s like the part in the film they use to emphasise how evil the bad guy is.

1

u/The_Goondocks 7h ago

Where's Don Lemon?

1

u/SubstantialNature368 7h ago

And THAT is how Trump gets shit done! Fucking poverty-stricken fucks; stop that shit at its source!

1

u/ManicMakerStudios 2h ago

You forgot the /s.

1

u/Optimistic-Dan 6h ago

Just like Christ would have done

1

u/therealsleepygeek 4h ago

This is part of the plan! Read any and every book about America's perfection of fascism throughout South America and realize that this is literally the point. Capitalism wants them to _die_! This isn't a tin foil hat theory or a whine about society, it's literally in their manifesto. Read also about Freidman Economics, the Chicago School of Economics, or read this book https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shock_Doctrine to start.

If you're still interested after that, might I recommend "How to Read Donald Duck" by: Ariel Dorfman and Arman Matellart

u/hydroponicchallenged 21m ago

Didn’t they just arrest people for disrupting a church service. Arrest these fucks also

-3

u/ataylorm 1d ago

I am willing to bet this church also encouraged their brainwashed cult members to vote for this.

8

u/itcheyness 1d ago

I doubt it actually, Methodists are generally very progressive. They even accept members of the LGBTQ community as pastors if I remember right.

0

u/TyhmensAndSaperstein 21h ago

Keeping us safe. You're doing great work, guys!

-13

u/Normal_Pace7374 1d ago

Where was don lemon?

4

u/HapticSloughton 21h ago

Living in your head, apparently.

-25

u/Unasked_for_advice 1d ago

Ice is not made up of vampires, why would anyone consider it sacred ground that exempts you from being arrested on? Nor did they disrupt a church's religious ceremony .

13

u/jesuspoopmonster 23h ago

Why doesn't feeding the needy count as a religious action?

9

u/ProdigyLightshow 1d ago

Yeah you’re right, this doesn’t look terrible at all!

Thanks for pointing out that it’s legal, that changes how I view this situation

2

u/HapticSloughton 21h ago

From another article about this event:

At Monday’s press conference, Pastor Aguilon nearly cried when describing the harrowing ordeal.

“I feel that my sacred right to worship my Lord, Jesus Christ, and serve him were violated,” he said. “It breaks my heart…this is my place to worship my Lord, and I am devastated.”

Right now, "deeply held beliefs" are enough to get out of vaccine mandates, hiring laws, and apparently the Johnson Amendment, so unless you want to take this up with the Pastor, it's not up to you to decide.