Appeals court rejects Justice Department’s push to charge more people over Minnesota church demonstration

FILE PHOTO: The seal of the U.S. Justice Department is seen on the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room in Washington, January 24, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - A ‌U.S. appeals court rejected the Justice Department's bid to charge five more people accused of ‌disrupting a Minnesota church service this month, according to court documents made public on ‌Saturday, revealing the lengths the Trump administration has gone to prosecute those involved in the demonstration.

The ruling by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is the latest legal setback for the Justice Department as it pursues demonstrators who interrupted a service ‍on Sunday in protest of a pastor's apparent connection to Immigration ‍and Customs Enforcement. One judge involved in ‌the case said the department's request appeared to be unprecedented.