Americans last month recoiled in horror after seeing videos of lawless protesters barging into a Minneapolis-area church and terrifying innocent parishioners. In seeking attention for anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) propaganda, they trampled over the constitutional rights of men, women and children who had gathered to worship the Lord in peace.
Like millions of Americans who value and respect law and order, I was outraged by the appalling images coming out of Minnesota that day. No citizen should have to fear being attacked, accosted or intimidated when they enter a house of worship to practice their faith on the weekends—or any day, for that matter. Like many of my colleagues in law enforcement across the nation, I condemned what had occurred and called for maximum protection for worshippers.
This incident in Minneapolis is not isolated. The latest report on “Hostility against Churches in the United States,” from the Center for Religious Liberty, highlighted a recent order from President Trump entitled “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias,” which stated, “[H]ostility and vandalism against Christian churches and places of worship surged, with the number of such identified acts in 2023 exceeding by more than eight times the number from 2018. Catholic churches and institutions have been aggressively targeted with hundreds of acts of hostility, violence, and vandalism.” The report concluded that “the existence of such an order shows that even the federal government has taken notice of the growing trend of hostility against U.S. churches.”
Federal law already prohibits the actions we observed in Minneapolis. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994 (FACE) “prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking… to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.” Right now, as we’ve seen in Minnesota, President Trump has acted against some of the rioters who invaded the church, directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to bring charges.
Justice should be blind, and enforcement of the law should not matter whether a Republican or Democrat sits in the Oval Office. This axiom, however, is not the case in our wildly divided political system. Along with countless Americans, I don’t trust fair enforcement of the FACE Act under a Democrat administration to protect against infringements of religious freedoms. Given that reality, states must step up to protect their citizens’ liberties.
Enter Oklahoma. Last year, Oklahoma State Sen. Todd Gollihare and Rep. Mark Lawson introduced Senate Bill 743 to protect worship services from intentional disruption. We almost got it through the legislature in 2025. Just this month, with the Minneapolis outrage still fresh in the minds of state lawmakers, SB 743 passed the Senate and was quickly signed by the Governor.
Now, a first offense for disturbing an assembly of religious worship is punishable by a fine of up to $500 and/or imprisonment in county jail for up to one year. A second offense is classified as a felony, carrying a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to two years in prison.
American families deserve this protection, and this law ensures that those within our state will have that, regardless of the federal government’s will to enforce the law. It provides critical protection for religious communities throughout Oklahoma while respecting constitutional rights to free speech and lawful protest. It tells radical agitators to stay away from Oklahoma and our places of worship. My office stands ready to vigorously enforce this law.
It is unfortunate that we live in a time where bills like SB 743 are even necessary. However, I’m thankful we live in a nation where we still protect our God-given rights to worship. As public servants, especially in law enforcement, whether in Minnesota or Oklahoma, we must do everything in our power to safeguard our churches and their members.
