The Megyn Kelly Show — Episode Summary

Podcast: The Megyn Kelly Show
Episode: “Anti-ICE Agitators and Don Lemon Disrupt Innocent People Praying in Church”
Guests: Michael Knowles, Matt Walsh
Air Date: January 19, 2026

Overview

This episode dives into the recent disruption of a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, by anti-ICE activists that included public journalist Don Lemon. Megyn Kelly and her guests Michael Knowles and Matt Walsh roundly condemn the protest, discuss its underlying motivations, and scrutinize the lack of response from political leaders. The conversation highlights the implications for religious liberty, the law, and culture war flashpoints, drawing broader conclusions about the left’s antagonism toward Christianity and law enforcement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Church Disruption and Immediate Reactions

• Event: Anti-ICE activists storm a Sunday Baptist service in St. Paul, Minnesota, claiming a pastor is involved with ICE.

• Disruption involved chanting, physical obstruction, and direct intimidation of worshipers, including children.

• Don Lemon present and live streaming, encouraging and justifying the protest.

• (00:45–07:53) Megyn Kelly opens with a furious monologue:
  “They think nothing, nothing of going into a Mass and disrupting people’s private time with Jesus. That’s fine by them...aided and abetted, of course, by Don Lemon.”
  — Megyn Kelly [00:45]

• Police Response: Protesters did not leave until police arrived after 45 minutes (per Alpha News).

• Legal Framework: Discussion about the FACE Act, which bars harassing worshipers at churches as well as clinics.

• “It’s on camera. Yes to all of that, obviously. I mean, it’s on camera.”
  — Megyn Kelly [35:42]

2. Don Lemon’s Role and Commentary

• On Air Justification: Lemon provides real-time color commentary, rationalizing protesters’ actions:
  • “Sure, people here don’t like it, but protests are not comfortable...that’s what I hope protesting is about.”
    — Don Lemon [12:25, 16:52]
• Lemon questions the pastor:
  • “Don’t you think Jesus would be understanding?”
    — Don Lemon [15:14]
• Later, Lemon claims minimal prior knowledge and frames his presence as “just journalism.” [54:22]
• Kelly and guests accuse Lemon of complicity and highlight hypocrisy:
  • “Don Lemon did not tell the truth. I mean, he has himself. So he incriminated himself by recording all this, live streaming it…”
    — Matt Walsh [55:27]
• Panel calls for legal consequences for Lemon, equating his actions to pro-life peaceful protesters arrested under Biden.

3. Agitators: Motives, Methods, and Specific Individuals

• William Kelly: Lead agitator, described as a “paid agitator,” previously arrested for impeding ICE, out on the streets again due to lenient policies.
  • Repeatedly shouts at congregants:
    “You’re living real life, nice lives with your lattes, doing absolutely nothing for your Latino and Somali brothers and sisters. You are a fake Christian.”
    — William Kelly [20:55–21:36]
• Kelly also linked to prior disruptive actions in D.C. churches. On TikTok, he’s called ICE “Nazis.”
• Additional BLM activists present, including Nekima Levy Armstrong (self-described “reverend” and organizer).
  • “I feel that we did what needed to be done. And I know that this church will never be the same after today.”
    — Armstrong (quoted by Kelly) [16:52]

4. The Children and the Law

• Megyn Kelly and Michael Knowles stress the trauma inflicted on children witnessing the protest ([12:25–15:14]), linking this to a larger pattern of church violence.
• The discussion identifies statutory and case law protecting houses of worship—FACE Act, trespass laws:
  • “...physical obstruction is enough. That is attempting to interfere with or intimidate any person at church.”
    — Michael Knowles [35:41]

5. Critique of Leftist Motivations

• Both Knowles and Walsh elaborate historical parallels—targeting religious worship is a tactic of leftist revolutions (French, Bolshevik, Spanish Civil War), not accidental but “demonic.”
  • “They always target the churches. They target the churches in the French Revolution, in the Bolshevik Revolution, in the Spanish Civil War, in Mexico. They do it for a purpose.”
    — Michael Knowles [24:10–27:14]
• Knowles: “Terrorism has a definition… you target civilians with violence to achieve political ends. That is exactly what happened here.” [24:10]

6. Broader Cultural and Political Context

• Lack of Political Response: Kelly points out silence from local Democrats (Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey, Rep. Ilhan Omar).
  • “So far, zero reaction to this protest… It doesn’t take hours to condemn protests—again, terrorism—inside a church that left children frightened.”
    — Megyn Kelly [18:28]
• ICE and Immigration Debate: Lemon and protesters characterize ICE actions as targeting innocent people; Knowles and Walsh counter with statistics on criminal convictions among those arrested.
• Ilhan Omar: Criticized for focusing on supposed ICE abuses instead of widespread fraud; clip played of her outrage at “papers checks.”
• Calls for Law Enforcement: Kelly and guests urge mass arrests for all involved, including Lemon:
  • “...the only way that you are going to discourage this is through a massive show of just force...The law is a teacher. And so we need to round all these people up.”
    — Michael Knowles [35:45]

7. Related Social Media and Public Reaction

• Harassment Videos: Clips played of agitators harassing random people on the street, accused of being ICE or “Nazis.”
• Media Narrative: Fear mainstream outlets will downplay church invasions, would treat mosque/synagogue disruptions with greater alarm.
  • “If you had a bunch of white MAGA types invading a mosque, this would be everywhere...”
    — Megyn Kelly [27:14]

8. Roots in Education and Matt Walsh’s New Series

• Real History with Matt Walsh: Walsh plugs new Daily Wire historical series aiming to correct leftist distortions, starting with slavery and the portrayal of Native Americans. [84:55–101:39]
• Education System Indoctrination: Audio played of a woke teacher misrepresenting police–agitator incident, emphasizing the proliferation of anti-American, anti-law enforcement narratives in schools.

Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• “They think nothing, nothing of going into a Mass and disrupting people’s private time with Jesus.”
  — Megyn Kelly [00:45]
• “Terrorism has a specific definition. It’s when you target civilians with violence to achieve political ends. That is exactly what happened here.”
  — Michael Knowles [24:10]
• “Don’t you think Jesus would be understanding? And we’re about love. These folks. We’re about spreading the love of Jesus.”
  — Don Lemon [15:14]
• “It’s about traumatizing people. Literally...It’s traumatic for people, but that’s what protesting is all about.”
  — Don Lemon [16:52]
• “Don Lemon did not tell the truth…He incriminated himself by recording all this, livestreaming it…”
  — Matt Walsh [55:27]
• “If you don’t feel anger at injustice. Something’s wrong with you… That will be fruitless if we don’t follow that up with real political action and arrest these people for the crimes that they’re committing...”
  — Michael Knowles [41:57]
• “You’re living real life, nice lives with your lattes, doing absolutely nothing for your Latino and Somali brothers and sisters. You are a fake Christian.”
  — William Kelly [20:55]
• “They’re not trying to protest—they’re trying to make people not feel uncomfortable because they feel threatened. There’s an implicit and sometimes explicit threat attached to that.”
  — Matt Walsh [62:39]
• “Why don’t they teach that?” (On context of U.S. slavery)
  — Matt Walsh [86:05]

Key Segment Timestamps

• [00:45–07:53] - Megyn Kelly monologue, opening salvo against protesters, detailed recounting of events at the church
• [12:25] - Don Lemon’s live justification, “protests are not comfortable”
• [15:14] - Lemon’s exchange with pastor, “Don’t you think Jesus would be understanding?”
• [16:52] - Kelly reads activist organizer (Armstrong) post-protest statement
• [20:55–21:36] - William Kelly harangues churchgoers
• [24:10–27:14] - Knowles defines event as terrorism, situates in history of anti-church violence
• [35:41] - Discussion of FACE Act, legal remedies
• [41:57] - ICE, immigration crime/fact check, consequences of law enforcement abdication
• [54:22] - Don Lemon’s statement defending himself as a journalist
• [62:39] - Children traumatized; the effect on families, Kelly commentary
• [84:55–101:39] - Real History with Matt Walsh: preview, purpose, and educational fightback

Memorable Moments

• Megyn Kelly repeatedly expresses frustration and anger, stating, “This is the red line and they’ve crossed it.” [24:10]
• Parallels drawn between past leftist revolutions and today’s anti-church activism
• Don Lemon’s presence shifts from reporting to overt advocacy for protest, downplaying trauma inflicted [multiple timestamps]
• Biblical and historical references to sacrilege, empathy, and public morality; rhetorical use of “demonic” and “satanic” to describe protest motivations
• Extended focus on how “trauma” and “uncomfortable protest” is being normalized and endorsed by media figures
• Matt Walsh’s promise: “Now is the next part where you send a SWAT team in to Don Lemon’s house and you drag him out before dawn, and you perp walk him in front of cameras, and then you throw him in prison…” [56:45]

Conclusion

With passionate and sometimes incendiary rhetoric, Megyn Kelly and her guests treat the church disruption as a flashpoint in the American culture war, describing it as an unlawful, anti-Christian campaign enabled by political and media indifference, and urging strong legal and institutional responses. The episode uses the incident to highlight perceived broader social and cultural threats, from mainstream media bias and educational indoctrination to the erosion of religious liberty.

For Further Content:
Matt Walsh’s historical correction series “Real History with Matt Walsh” is now available for subscribers at Daily Wire.
The next Megyn Kelly Show episode will feature James Woods.