Minnesota state Rep. Leigh Finke, a transgender Democrat, has brazenly praised the mob disruption of a church service at Cities Church in St. Paul on January 19, 2026, where anti-ICE radicals stormed in, chanting and harassing worshippers over suspicions an ICE officer attended. In a January 20 Facebook post, Finke hailed the invasion as “essential” and demanded it “must continue until ICE is out of our state” and “the administration is out of the White House.”
He twisted Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of nonviolent protest to justify the chaos, likening it to 1989 AIDS activist disruptions at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.The incident, spearheaded by figures like former CNN host Don Lemon, turned a peaceful Sunday service into a scene of intimidation, with protesters blocking exits and pursuing families. Church pastor David Eastwood condemned the unruly mob, vowing to pursue prosecutions for this assault on religious liberty.
Finke’s endorsement fits a pattern of radical activism that threatens family values and child safety. As author of a 2021 bill designating Minnesota a “refuge state” for minors seeking gender transitions, including puberty blockers, he has urged teens to visit “queer sex shops” for binding and tucking tips, cut ties with unsupportive adults, and even suggested riots against “anti-trans legislation.”
Finke mourned the loss of Larry Kramer, tied to NAMBLA, and has advocated arming transgender individuals while celebrating violent unrest. Online backlash branded Finke a “trans-terrorist,” especially after his campaign manager mocked the assassination of pro-life activist Charlie Kirk as a “Nazi.” Despite this, Finke was absurdly named USA Today’s “Woman of the Year” in 2023. This episode exposes the left’s contempt for law enforcement, border security, and sacred spaces, fueling demands for accountability amid escalating threats to American freedoms.