Church Mob Suspect Says Being Handcuffed Was ‘Closest I’ve Felt to Slavery’

Amy Curtis | January 30, 2026 2:00 PM

This morning, Don Lemon was arrested in conjunction with the church storming incident in Minneapolis back on January 18. On January 22, the DOJ announced that three of the suspects — William Kelly, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and Nekima Levy Armstrong — were taken into custody. A judge later ordered Allen and Armstrong released from federal custody, and now Armstrong is speaking out about being arrested.

You'll not be surprised to learn she's playing the race card over that arrest.

Church rioter Nekima Levy Armstrong: "We had handcuffs on. As an African American Studies expert, it was the closest I was to sIavery!" pic.twitter.com/1SaJI8rUwT
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 29, 2026

"We had belly chains around our waist, and we had handcuffs with bars in the middle," Armstrong said. "As someone who majored in African American studies, I can tell that that is the closest I've ever felt to slavery in my life. Being shackled as if I were a slave. It is unacceptable and unconscionable, but it's on-brand."

She’s not making the point she thinks she is
— Jessica O’Donnell 🏈 (@heckyessica) January 30, 2026

Here remarks are interesting for several reasons. First, she admits that the "closest [she's] ever felt to slavery" was only after she committed crimes in violation of federal laws. That means any argument about systemic racism or America's history has just been rendered moot.

The “closest thing to slavery” she ever experienced was removing cotton from a bottle of aspirin. https://t.co/7O1sZ89RLy
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) January 30, 2026

Ouch.

Second, all criminals are subject to being handcuffed and chained when they are arrested. It's for their safety and the safety of the law enforcement officers taking them into custody. There was nothing unique, racist, or unacceptable about what happened to Armstrong.

If being arrested and put in handcuffs for committing a federal crime is the closest she’s ever been to slavery, I think it’s fair to say the reparations debate is over and the movement of White Guilt needs to die. You are clearly not oppressed. https://t.co/SFHckVHzuO
— ☘️𝕃𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕪 Ƒʉͫcͧкͭιͪηͣ 𝕄𝕔𝔾𝕖𝕖‎ (@LuckyMcGee) January 30, 2026

Clearly.

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