George Anjay
Former CNN host Don Lemon has been arrested and charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering with religious freedoms following his involvement in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church. The charges stem from Lemon’s entry into Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18th with a group of protesters who alleged that one of the pastors was an immigration enforcement official. After appearing in court, Lemon was released and publicly declared, "I will not be silenced," asserting he was arrested for covering the news and emphasizing the critical role of a free and independent media in holding power accountable.
Lemon, who now operates as an independent journalist, was taken into custody by federal agents on Thursday. He did not enter a plea during his court appearance. In a statement to the media outside the courthouse, Lemon expressed his frustration, stating, "Last night the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for something that I have been doing for the last 30 years and that is covering the news." He reiterated his commitment to his journalistic work, adding, "I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now. In fact, there is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable."
Lemon is one of nine co-defendants, including another journalist, facing charges of conspiracy against religious freedom at a place of worship and injuring, intimidating, and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, issued a statement on Friday, asserting that Lemon would "fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court" and condemning the actions as an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration." Lowell also noted that Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi identified three other individuals arrested alongside Lemon: local independent journalist Georgia Fort, and activists Trahem Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy. Fort was also released on Friday after her court appearance in Minnesota. Bondi characterized their actions as a "coordinated attack" on the church, while FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that investigators from his agency and the Department of Homeland Security were responsible for the arrests. Georgia Fort documented her own arrest in a livestream, expressing concern for her children’s well-being.
The legal proceedings against those involved in the Minnesota church protest have a complex history. The Trump administration initially sought to charge eight individuals with conspiring to deprive rights and interfering with religious freedom. However, a magistrate judge initially approved charges for only three, excluding Lemon. The government appealed this decision, and an appeals court recommended the case be presented to a federal grand jury. This grand jury ultimately approved charges against the nine defendants, including Lemon, who were present at the church protest.
Don Lemon, a prominent critic of former President Donald Trump, was fired from CNN in April 2023 after a 17-year tenure. His dismissal followed controversial on-air comments regarding Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. During the Minnesota church protest, Lemon live-streamed the event on YouTube under the banner of "The Don Lemon Show." The indictment alleges that Lemon took measures to ensure the secrecy of the operation, reminding co-conspirators not to reveal the target and stepping away to prevent accidental disclosure of planning details. He then entered the church with the group, initially without his camera operator.
Prosecutors contend that Lemon and his co-defendants engaged in a "coordinated takeover-style attack" within the church, employing acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction. The protesters chanted "Justice for Renee Good," referring to a U.S. citizen fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on January 7th during a confrontation in Minneapolis. According to the indictment, upon entering the church, Lemon and the other charged defendants, along with uncharged protesters, "oppressed, threatened, and intimidated the Church congregants and pastors by physically occupying most of the main aisle and row of chairs near the front of the Church, engaging in menacing and threatening behavior."
Footage from inside the church, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, depicted a chaotic scene with shouting between protesters and congregants. Lemon repeatedly asserted his role as an independent journalist, stating, "We’re not part of the activists, but we’re here just reporting on them." The pastor of the church expressed dismay, calling the interruption "unacceptable" and "shameful." Prosecutors allege that Lemon and two other co-defendants "largely surrounded" the pastor in an attempt to oppress and intimidate him. Furthermore, the indictment claims Lemon positioned himself at the main church door, confronting and physically obstructing congregants attempting to exit, in order to challenge them with "facts" about U.S. immigration policy.
Harmeet Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division vowed a thorough pursuit of the case, stating in an interview with podcaster Megyn Kelly, "We’re going to pursue this to the ends of the Earth." The White House appeared to acknowledge the arrest on its official X account, posting a photo of Lemon with the caption "when life gives you lemons," accompanied by a chain link emoji. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described Lemon’s detention as "shocking" and "alarming." CNN issued a statement expressing "profoundly concerning questions about press freedom and the First Amendment," and indicated it would closely monitor Lemon’s case.
This incident marks the second high-profile case this month involving the Trump administration investigating a journalist, raising concerns among free speech advocates. On January 14th, the FBI seized electronic devices from a Washington Post reporter at her home under a search warrant related to the alleged leak of classified information, though she herself was not charged. Protests continue in Minnesota, where federal immigration operations have led to confrontations and the deaths of two U.S. citizens: Renee Good, a mother of three, and Alex Pretti, a nurse.
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Nakalama John
