Prominent journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon faces legal repercussions following his involvement in documenting a contentious protest at a Minnesota church. The incident, which has sparked a fierce debate over press freedoms, occurred on January 19th when Lemon accompanied a group of activists into the Cities Church in St. Paul.
The demonstrators targeted the religious institution based on claims that one of its pastors held an official position with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). During the service disruption, Lemon filmed the proceedings as part of his journalistic activities.
Federal authorities took Lemon into custody on Thursday evening in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards. His legal representative, Abbe Lowell, issued a statement condemning the arrest as an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and characterizing it as a diversionary tactic from current administration challenges.
Lowell emphasized Lemon’s three-decade career in journalism, asserting his client’s actions were constitutionally protected news gathering. The attorney vowed to contest the charges vigorously in court.
The legal situation developed complexly after initial efforts by the Trump administration to charge eight individuals connected to the protest under statutes protecting worship spaces. A magistrate judge reviewing Department of Justice evidence approved charges for only three participants, explicitly excluding Lemon from prosecution. The government has since moved to appeal this judicial decision.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions in Minnesota, where federal immigration enforcement operations have triggered confrontations resulting in two citizen fatalities.