In Evanston, Illinois, a progressive church’s politically charged Nativity scene has been vandalized—twice—and now stands as both a reassembled artwork and a symbol of sharp national divides.

On December 12, vandals wrecked the Nativity at Lake Street Church, tearing apart the immigration-themed display, decapitating Mary, and flattening the biblical tableau meant to parallel modern immigration enforcement, as Washington Examiner reports.

The original display, unveiled in late November, featured Mary and Joseph in gas masks, baby Jesus in zip ties, and Roman centurions dressed to resemble ICE and Border Patrol agents—a deliberate nod to a federal immigration crackdown this fall dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz.”

Progressive Symbolism Meets Public Rejection

This wasn’t the first time the unconventional display provoked local reaction. Earlier in December, someone had already tampered with it, removing Mary and Joseph’s gas masks and freeing baby Jesus from his restraints.

The church claims it aimed to “stir consciences” by connecting the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt with modern disputes over immigration enforcement. But apparently, not everyone finds this theological remix inspiring.

After vandals returned on December 12, the Mary statue was left headless, her hair torn off, and her presence replaced entirely by a new placard alleging she had been “beaten” and detained in front of her child.

Church Rebuilds Display, Doubles Down on Message

The church used the latest vandalism not as a reason to pull the plug, but to push even further. Roman centurions were put back using extra zip ties, and with their original vests stolen, shirts were labeled “ICE” and “BP” in bold letters.

Joseph, who had already been removed after storm damage over Thanksgiving, did not return. He was instead memorialized with a new message: “Joseph didn’t make it.”

That left baby Jesus once again zip-tied, this time surrounded only by government-enforcer-themed figures and signage declaring his mother’s detention—perhaps the most overt political statement yet in a display meant to mark Christmas.

Church Officials Cite Social Justice Goals

Rev. Jillian Westerfield, associate minister at Lake Street Church, defended the display’s intent. “Having people respond negatively like this — I think (the Nativity display) is stirring people’s consciences,” she said in a statement.

She went on to justify the controversial symbolism, stating, “We’re calling out what’s happening to God’s beloved people, and they don’t like how that feels, so they respond by attacking the art.”

The church says its goal is to highlight how government policies affect immigrant families, referencing the Magnificat prayer passage: “[He (the Lord)] has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted the lowly.”

Political Art at the Heart of a Holiday

The message may resonate among church leadership, but it’s clear this is no ordinary holiday display. Turning a sacred story into an immigration protest invites strong responses—some thoughtful, others hostile.

“This is about God’s promises to the weakest and most vulnerable in the world,” Westerfield said, “God is always on the side of the most vulnerable.”

The problem is, not everyone agrees on who counts as vulnerable—or whether a house of worship should serve as a protest art gallery during the most widely celebrated Christian season of the year.